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Final Report of the Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad to the Secretary of State and to the President of the United StatesReleased by the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and LaborU.S. Department of State, May 17, 1999 |
APPENDIX ONE
U.S. Foreign Policy Tools:
An Illustrative Matrix of Selected Options
|
|
Friendly, Persuasive |
Hostile, Coercive |
|
DIPLOMATIC (Executive) |
- Embassy: Open/Expand - Ambassador: Accredit - Visas: Liberalize - Landing Rights: Extend/Expand - Binational Commissions: Establish/Expand - Intl Orgs: Support Membership/Position - Intl Conf: Support Sponsor/Participation - Communiqué: Friendly - State Visits: Support - Senior Officials Exchange: Support - Hostile Neighbors/Opposition: Minimize Contacts |
- Embassy: Reduce Staff - Ambassador: Recall for Consultations - Visas: Restrict to targeted group - Landing Rights: Restrict - Binational Commissions: Pare Back - Intl Orgs: Oppose membership/participation - Intl Confs: Oppose sponsorship/participation - Communiqué: Hostile - State Visit: Oppose - Senior Officials Exchange: Restrict - Embassy: Close - Ambassador: Withdraw - Visas: Suspend - Landing Rights: Suspend - Binational Commissions: Suspend - Intl Orgs: Urge exclusion - Intl Confs: Urge exclusion - State Visit: Cancel - Senior Officials Exchange: Cancel - Hostile Neighbors/Opposition: Expand Contacts |
|
POLITICAL (Executive & Legislative) |
LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE |
LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE |
|
CULTURAL (Executive & Legislative) |
- Aggressive Broadcasts: Decrease/Suspend - Academic Exchange: Establish/Expand - Intl Athletic Events: Support Participation/Support Sponsorship - Entertainment/Cultural Tours: Support Participation/Support Sponsorship - Peace Corps: Expand - Public Exchange: Establish/Expand - Intl Cultural Orgs: Support Membership - Scientific Cooperation: Establish/Expand - Internet Sites: Expand |
- Aggressive Broadcasts: Increase - Academic Exchange: Restrict - Intl Athletic Events: Oppose Participation/Sponsorship - Entertainment/Cultural Tours: Oppose Participation/Sponsorship - Peace Corps: Restrict - Publication Exchange: Restrict - Intl Cultural Orgs: Oppose Membership - Scientific Cooperation: Restrict - Academic Exchange: Suspend - Intl Athletic Events: Urge Exclusion - Entertainment/Cultural Tours: Ban from US/Urge Exclusion - Peace Corps: Suspend - Publication Exchange: Suspend - Intl Cultural Orgs: Urge Suspension - Scientific Cooperation: Suspend |
|
ECONOMIC (Executive & Legislative) |
- Debt Rescheduling: Permit/Liberalize Terms - Preferential Tariff Treatment: Expand - Regional Trade Agreements: Permit Particip. - Trade Credits: Expand - Investment: Expand Promotion - Business Contacts: Encourage - Trade Missions: Expand - OPIC/EXIM/TDA: Open/Expand - Trade Controls: Liberalize - Double Tax Agreement: Negotiate - Tax Treaty: Negotiate - IFIs: Support membership/position - Financial Controls: Relax - Assets: Release - Postal Cooperation: Expand - Aid/Technical Assistance: Increase |
- Debt: Tighten Terms - Investment: Restrict Promotion - Business Contacts: Discourage - Trade Missions: Pare - OPIC/EXIM/TDA: Restrict on Targeted Basis - Trade Controls: Limited (commodity/product-based) - Trade Restrictions: Limited (commodity/product-based) - IFIs: Oppose membership/participation - Financial Controls: Increase - Aid/Technical Assistance: Restrict - Debt: Suspend - Preferential Tariff Treatment: Suspend - Regional Trade Agreements: Suspend Participation - Trade Credits: Restrict - Investment: Ban - Business contacts: Ban - Trade Missions: Suspend - OPIC/EXIM/TDA: Suspend - Trade Controls: Expand - Trade Embargo - Double Tax Agreement: Suspend - Tax Treaty: Suspend - IFIs: Urge Exclusion - Assets: Freeze - Postal Cooperation: Suspend - Aid/Technical Assistance: Suspend - G7 Sanctions Group: Activate |
|
MILITARY (Executive: Legislative Consultation) |
- Training (IMET/E-IMET): Increase - Officer Exchange: Increase - Military Cooperation (joint exercises/training/tech cooperation): Increase - Port Visits: Increase - Confidence-building measures: Increase - Peacekeeping Forces: Maintain - Cooperation w/Hostile Neighbors/Opposition: Restrict - Local maneuvers: Restrict |
- Training: Restrict - Officer Exchange: Restrict - Military Cooperation: Restrict - Confidence-building Measures: Restrict - Training: Suspend - Officer Exchange: Suspend - Military Cooperation: Suspend - Confidence-building Measures: Suspend - Port Visits: Suspend - Peacekeeping: Withdraw - Cooperation with Neighbors/Opposition: Increase - Local Maneuvers: Increase - Show of Force - Act of War |
Prepared by: Sanctions Working Group,
U.S. State Department Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy
Key:
IFI = International Financial Institution
OPIC = Overseas Private Investment Corporation
EXIM = Export-Import Bank
TDA = Trade and Development Agency
GSM = General Sales Manager (USDA Export Credits)
Charter of The Secretary of State's
Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of the Committee shall be to serve the Secretary of State and the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) in an advisory capacity with respect to significant issues of religious freedom, intolerance, and reconciliation abroad as agreed upon by the Committee and the Department of State.
II. AUTHORITY
The Committee is established under the general authority of the Secretary of State and the Department of State as set forth in Title 22 of the United States Code (U.S.C.), in particular Sections 2656 and 2651(a) of that Title. The approval of this Charter by the Under Secretary of State for Management constitutes a determination by the Secretary that establishment of this Committee is in the public interest.
III. MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION
A. Membership.
Members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Secretary of State and/or the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the Department of State. The term of membership shall be for the duration of this Charter, except that the Secretary of State or the Assistant Secretary may, at his or her sole discretion, remove or replace members at any time. The membership shall consist of appropriate officers in the U.S. Government and not more than 20 other individuals who are representatives of organizations and institutions having an interest in international issues of religious freedom, intolerance, and reconciliation, and may include: representatives of religious institutions or groups whose membership is affected by issues of religious freedom and conflict resolution; representatives of human rights organizations, public interest groups, public policy institutions, research institutions, inter-faith organizations, conflict resolution and peacemaking institutions with knowledge on major religions and belief systems of the world, human rights, and reconciliation; and academics representative of the various scholarly approaches to addressing issues of religious freedom, intolerance, conflict resolution, and reconciliation, as well as academics representative of the scholarly knowledge about major religions of the world. The membership shall be fairly balanced in terms of the points of view represented.
B. Designation of Officers.
The Secretary of State or his Designee shall appoint a Designated Federal Officer (DFO) who shall be an employee of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, a Chairperson (who may also be the DFO), and other officers as he/she or the DFO deem appropriate.
C. Establishment of Study Groups.
(1) The DFO or his/her Designee may establish study groups to provide assistance to the Committee as necessary. The composition of the study groups may include persons with specialized knowledge in addition to those appointed under paragraph A. above. The terms and conditions of such additional appointments shall otherwise be as provided in paragraph A. above.
(2) The DFO or his/her Designee may terminate any study group established pursuant to this Charter.
D. Support Functions.
Support functions for the operation of the Committee and its study groups shall be provided by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the Department of State and other offices as appropriate.
IV. OPERATIONS
A. Functions of Officers.
In addition to the responsibilities specified above, the DFO or his/her Designee shall serve in accordance with sections 10(e) and (f) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and shall preside at meetings, call and adjourn meetings, prepare the agenda, arrange for the keeping of minutes of each meeting of the Committee, certify to the accuracy of the minutes, and establish study groups to assist the Committee. The minutes shall include the following items: the time, date, and place of the meeting; a listing of Committee and subsidiary group members and agency employees present at the meeting; a description of matters discussed and conclusions reached; copies of all reports received, issued, or approved by the Committee; a description of the extent to which the meeting was open to the public; an explanation of the extent of public participation, including a list of members of the public who presented oral or written statements; and an estimate of the number of members of the public who attended the meeting. The last three items will not be included when the determination to close or partially close the meeting (as described in Article IV. B) has been made.
B. Meetings.
It is anticipated the Committee will meet as necessary (approximately two times a year) to provide the advice requested by the DFO and that its study groups will meet as necessary. No quorum is required. All Committee meetings will be open to the public up to the limits of the capacity of the meeting room, unless a determination has been made in accordance with Section 10 (d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, that a meeting or a portion of a meeting should be closed to the public. Timely notice of each Committee meeting, stating the name of the Committee, the time, place and purpose of the meeting, a summary of the agenda, and whether the meeting is open to the public shall be published in the Federal Register. Except when shorter notice is authorized in exceptional circumstances, such notice shall be given at least 15 days in advance of the meeting date.
C. Reporting.
The Committee shall report to the Secretary of State and the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. The DFO will provide the President with a report of the Advisory Committee's activities.
D. Records.
The records of the Committee will consist of all papers and documents pertinent to its establishment and activities, including its charter, agenda, determinations for closed meetings, minutes, reports, and all documents related to its proceedings. These records shall be available for public inspection and copying to the extent required by the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(b), at the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the Department of State.
E. Functions of the Committee.
The functions of the Committee shall be advisory, and any determinations or action to be taken on the basis of Committee recommendations, shall be made by appropriate officers of the United States Government. The Committee shall offer recommendations on issues agreed upon by the Committee and the DFO with regard to enhancing religious freedom and promoting religious liberty and reconciliation in situations where people in other countries face religious persecution and intolerance. The Committee may also provide advice on programs that promote global religious liberty and reconciliation, as appropriate.
V. FUNDING
A. All funding necessary for the organization and operation of the Committee shall be provided by the Department of State.
B. The members of the Committee shall serve without compensation, but may be allowed travel expenses to the extent authorized by 5 U.S.C. Sec. 5703.
C. The estimated operation costs of the Committee during the duration of this Charter are $24,000 in Fiscal Year 1996, $54,000 in Fiscal Year 1997, $59,000 in Fiscal Year 1998, and the cost of approximately .5 employee per year.
VI. TERMINATION
The Committee shall terminate two years from the date this Charter is filed, unless it is renewed or extended by appropriate action prior to that date.
NOW, THEREBY, this Charter shall be considered approved by the Department of State as of this date and shall be provided to the appropriate standing committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives having legislative jurisdiction for the Department of State and to the Library of Congress pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
APPROVED: Patrick F. Kennedy, Acting Under Secretary of State for Management
DATE: September 30, 1996
APPENDIX THREE
Biographical Information:
Advisory Committee Members and Executive Director
The Reverend Dr. Don Argue has been the President of Northwest College in Kirkland (Seattle), Washington since 1998. During the prior three years he was President of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), an organization comprised of 49 member denominations and individual congregations from an additional 26 denominations, as well as several hundred independent churches. Dr. Argue previously served as President of North Central College in Minneapolis for over fifteen years. Dr. Argue obtained his Doctorate of Education at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.
Ms. Alexandra Arriaga was appointed by Secretary of State Warren Christopher in 1995, to serve as Special Coordinator for External Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL). She served as the Executive Director of the Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad. Prior to joining the Clinton Administration, Ms. Arriaga served as Director of the bipartisan Congressional Human Rights Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995. She has served as a Member of the U.S. Delegation to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights.
The Reverend Dr. Joan Brown Campbell is General Secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ (NCC) in the United States. The NCC represents 34 Protestant and Orthodox member denominations in the United States, to which 52 million people belong. Dr. Campbell has served as the Executive Director of the United States Office of the World Council of Churches and the Associate Executive Director of the Greater Cleveland Interchurch Council. She is a leader in interfaith activism on issues of social welfare, Christian unity, women's rights and racism. The Rev. Campbell was a part of the US delegation to the Stockholm Peace Conference and is a member of the Board of Theology in Global Context. She sits on the Board of Trustees of the Fund for Education in South Africa and is the religious coordinator for South Africa Free Elections (SAFE).
Dr. Diana L. Eck is Professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies at Harvard University, where she is Chair of the Committee on the Study of Religion in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Faculty of Divinity. Dr. Eck has studied religious diversity in the U.S. and its meaning for American pluralism, has worked on issues concerning inter-religious dialogue and relations, and has written extensively on issues related to Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Islam. She is a member of the international presidium of the World Conference on Religion and Peace. Dr. Eck and the Pluralism Project at Harvard University recently completed "On Common Ground: World Religions in America," a multimedia CD-ROM resource providing information on 15 religious traditions in 18 different U.S. communities.
Dr. Wilma M. Ellis serves as a Member of the Continental Board of Counselors of the Baha'is of the Americas, a body that consults with and provides advice to the elected governing bodies of the Baha'i faith in North, Central, and South America. She served as Chief Administrative Officer for several agencies of the Baha'i International Community, including the United Nations Office, Office of the Environment, Office for the Advancement of Women, and regional representations in Rome, Nairobi, Santiago, Addis Ababa, Vienna, and Bangkok. She was formerly Vice President of Development at Spelman College in Atlanta and served as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States.
Rabbi Dr. Irving Greenberg is President of the Jewish Life Network, Founding President of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership in New York, and of the founders of Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry. Rabbi Greenberg is a theologian who has conducted interfaith dialogue to promote respect of human rights for victims of religious persecution and is a leading thinker in Holocaust theology, intra-Jewish dialogue, Jewish-Christian dialogue, Jewish-Tibetan Buddhist dialogue, and religious pluralism. Rabbi Greenberg served as Rabbi of the Riverdale Jewish Center, Professor at Yeshiva University, and Founder and Chair of the Department of Jewish Studies at City College.
Dr. James B. Henry completed his second term as President of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1996, and was named Chairperson of the Baptist Worship Study Commission, and has been Pastor at the First Baptist Church in Orlando, Florida since 1977. Dr. Henry has traveled extensively throughout the United States as an Evangelical speaker at university assemblies and religious conferences, was named "Minister of the Year" in 1985, by the Greater Orlando Baptist Association, and is a member of the Central Florida Right to Life Executive Committee.
Bishop Frederick Calhoun James is a member of the Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and one of three Vice Presidents of the Inter-Faith Alliance, an organization which espouses to more accurately represent the family of faith to encourage civic responsibility and participation in the democratic process. Bishop James served as Ecumenical officer for the AME Church internationally and recently retired as active Bishop of the Second Episcopal District (MD, VA, NC, DC) of the AME Church. As Presiding Bishop of the AME Church in Southern Africa, Bishop James oversaw the building of publishing houses, schools, cattle farms, and churches, and worked to promote inter-racial dialogue. Bishop James worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as the Consultant-Director of Social Action of the AME Church. In 1994, President Clinton called on Bishop James to join the Presidential Delegation to the Inauguration of President Mandela in South Africa.
The Very Reverend Leonid Kishkovsky is a prominent member of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and has represented the church on a number of state occasions, including the installation of Pope John Paul II and the Sofia Consultation of Orthodox Member Churches. He was ordained an Orthodox priest and was a parish priest before becoming Secretary of the Department of External Affairs of the OCA. Father Kishkovsky participated in the U.S./U.S.S.R. Church Leaders' Prayer Vigil during the Reagan-Gorbachev Geneva summit. He has served as NCC President. Recently, he has played an important role in facilitating dialogue with the Moscow Patriarch regarding American opposition to a newly adopted law restricting religious activities in Russia. Father Kishkovsky was born in Poland and, with his family, fled to the West at the end of World War II. He currently serves as Chair of the Europe Committee of the NCC, Moderator of the World Conference on Religion and Peace/WCRP, Trustee of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, and President of the Research Center for Religion and Human Rights in Closed Societies. He has served as a public member of US delegations to OSCE conferences.
The Reverend Samuel Billy Kyles> has served as Pastor of the Monumental Baptist Church of Memphis, Tennessee since 1959. He is affiliated with the World Baptist Alliance, the Progressive National Baptist Convention, National Evangelist, and the Ecumenical Minister's Task Force. He is co-founder of People United Save Humanity, a member of the American Committee on Africa, and served as a Delegate to the African National Congress 1993 International Solidarity Conference in South Africa. He has also served as Chairman of the State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and is an Executive Committee Member of the National Rainbow Coalition. The Reverend Kyles is the recipient of many awards and honors for his work both nationally and internationally to further civil rights, and was a friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt is the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies at Emory University in Atlanta. She was an historical consultant to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and, in 1994, was appointed by President Clinton to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council where she currently chairs the Education Committee and serves on the Committee of Conscience. As an active member of the Jewish community, Dr. Lipstadt has served on the Executive Committee of the United Jewish Appeal's Young Women's Leadership Cabinet, the UJA Faculty Cabinet, and the Board of the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles and of Atlanta. She is author of numerous articles and books, including Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory and Beyond Belief: The American Press and the Coming of the Holocaust, and has lectured at universities throughout the world. Dr. Lipstadt has been quoted in a variety of newspapers and magazines on matters of contemporary and Jewish interest and has appeared on CNN, 60 Minutes, the Charlie Rose Show, among others.
Dr. David Littleis a leading scholar and expert on law and religion, comparative religious ethics, and religious liberty. He serves as Senior Scholar in Religion, Ethics, and Human Rights at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and as Director of the USIP's Working Group on Religion, Ideology, and Peace. In 1996, he served on the U.S. Delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Human Dimension Seminar on Constitutional, Legal, and Administrative Aspects of the Freedom of Religion. Dr. Little is currently studying religion, nationalism, and intolerance, and has written 100 professional articles and ten books on issues of religion and human rights. Dr. Little was formerly Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia and also lectured at Yale, Brown, Amherst, Harvard, and Haverford.
Dr. Laila Al-Marayatiis a founding member and past president of the Muslim Women's League, an organization dedicated to the dissemination of accurate information about Islam and Muslims, particularly regarding women. Dr. Al-Marayati has written articles and participated in numerous conferences addressing issues related to Islam and women, including such issues as reproductive health and sexuality, challenges facing Muslim women in the U.S. and abroad, stereotyping, and the abuse of the rights of Muslim women. She has served as a public member of U.S. delegations to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 and to the OSCE Conference on the Human Dimension in Warsaw in 1998. Dr. Al-Marayati is a Board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist. She is a member of the new Commission on International Religious Liberty.
The Most Reverend Theodore E. McCarrickserves as Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Newark and is an outspoken advocate for human rights and the needs of migrants throughout the world. He is Chairman of the U.S. Bishops Committee on International Policy, a member of the Board of Directors of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, and was chosen for the Ellis Island Hall of Fame. Archbishop McCarrick has also been a member of the Helsinki Accords Commission and the Pontifical Commission for Migration and Tourism. He has traveled throughout the world, addressing a wide range of human rights issues. He is a member of the new Commission on International Religious Liberty.
Imam Wallace Deen Mohammedis an important leader in the society of Muslim Americans and the son of Elijah Mohammed. He has received countless awards and acknowledgments for his promotion of universal human excellence, his contributions toward building respect for Islamic life in America, and his establishment of direct and genuine dialogue among the leaders of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. In 1988, he represented Muslims at the World Parliament of Religious Leaders' Meeting for the Survival of the Earth and its Environment in England, and later that year represented Muslims in America at the symbolic signing of the First Amendment Charter for Religious Freedom in Virginia. He traveled to Saudi Arabia in 1990 to address the Islamic Conference on the Persian Gulf Conflict and visited again in December 1995 as a guest of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, securing an agreement for improving the curriculum of Muslim schools in America. The Imam is an esteemed member of the World Supreme Council of Mosques, the Peace Council, and an International President of the World Conference on Religion and Peace. As part of the inaugural activities for President Clinton, Imam Mohammed participated as a representative of Islam in the Inaugural Interfaith Prayer Service. He hosts a nationally syndicated television program, "W. Deen Mohammed and Guest," heard weekly on radio stations throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.
Dr. Russell Marion Nelsonhas served on the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since April, 1984. Dr. Nelson is an internationally renowned surgeon and medical researcher who has authored numerous publications and chapters in medical textbooks, has lectured on medical issues throughout the United States and in countries around the world, and has received several honorary degrees from different universities, in addition to earning his B.A. , M.D., and Ph.D. degrees. Elder Nelson has held many positions of responsibility in the Church since 1964.
The Most Reverend Ricardo Ramirezhas served as Roman Catholic Bishop of Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico since 1982. Previously, Bishop Ramirez served in his native Texas, Mexico, and Canada. He is Chairman of the National Council of Catholic Bishops' (NCCB) Campaign for Human Development, Administrative Secretary of the Committee for the Study of the History of the Church in Latin America (CEHILA), consultant for the NCCB Committee on Hispanic Affairs, member of the NCCB Committee for African American Catholics, and member of the U.S. Catholic Conference's (USCC) International Policy Committee.
Dr. Barnett Richard Rubinis a Senior Fellow, Director of the Center for Preventive Action, and Director of Peace and Conflict Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. He has extensive knowledge and has published widely on issues of conflict resolution among ethnic, religious, and nationalistic groups. At Columbia University, Dr. Rubin served as Associate Professor of Political Science, Director of the Center for the Study of Central Asia, and Director of the Project on Political Order and Conflict in the Former Soviet Union. In past years, he served as a Peace Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace and as an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Yale University. Dr. Rubin's public service experience includes work with Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Carter Center, the Soros Foundation, and the International League for Human Rights. His work abroad has included human rights missions to Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Burundi, Nigeria, Serbia, Kosovo, and Macedonia.
Ms. Nina Sheais a lawyer and a leading advocate for the defense of religious freedom whose work has mobilized Americans to express their concerns about religious persecution and to
demand action on these issues. She is Director of The Center for Religious Freedom of Freedom House and author of In the Lion's Den, which reports on the persecution and martyrdom of Christians today and appeals for action to oppose it. Ms. Shea has monitored religious persecution and human rights, has frequently testified before Congress, and has led numerous human rights fact-finding missions around the world. In 1993, Ms. Shea was appointed by the Clinton Administration to serve as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. She was named to a member of the new Commission on International Religious Liberty.
Dr. Elliot Sperlingis a scholar of Tibetan studies, with a focus on the role of Buddhism in the political and historical relations between Tibet, China, and Mongolia. He has received numerous awards for his scholarship, including a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and a Fulbright Lectureship from the Council for International Exchange of Scholars/USIA. Dr. Sperling formerly taught Himalayan and Tibetan Studies at Harvard and is currently an Associate Professor of Tibetan Studies at Indiana University. He has been a member of the Working Group on Religion at the United States Institute of Peace and has served on the Board of Directors of the Tibet Society. Dr. Sperling has testified before the U.S. Congress and other public bodies on several occasions, and has published extensively on related topics. He has also served as a Consultant to Human Rights Watch/Asia.
His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon*as Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is spiritual leader of 1.5 million Greek Orthodox Christians in America. Born in Warren, Ohio, he is the first American-born elected and enthroned as Archbishop of America. He studied at the famed Theological School of Halki. His graduate studies in Switzerland focused on the history of Protestant Churches, and later, after receiving a scholarship from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, he studied Byzantine Literature at Bochum University in Germany. He is fluent in Greek, English, French, Italian, and German. His long and direct contacts with the Roman Catholic Church contributed to his appointment in 1984 as Executive Secretary of the Inter-Orthodox Commission for the Theological Dialogue between Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. In 1992, he was appointed Chairman of the Inter-Orthodox Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Lutheran World Federation. He has also made important contributions to building Orthodox unity. Archbishop Spyridon of America is recognized for his dedication to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and for his effectiveness in addressing the needs and problems of the Orthodox Diaspora.
*His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon was represented by:
Mr. Antonios Kireopoulos, formerly Special Assistant to the Archbishop. In this capacity, he represented the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in its non-governmental organization office at the United Nations and on the America's Promise project. Previously, he was Associate Director of the Leadership 100 Endowment Fund, as well as representative to the Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches. Mr. Kireopoulos is now the Executive Director of the World Conference on Religion and Peace.
APPENDIX FOUR
Advisory Committee Statements
Statement of the Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad
February 13, 1997
Religious freedom is protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other sources of international law, and is a fundamental human right, inherent in the dignity of the individual.
Religious groups and individuals around the world face persecution daily and other difficulties in practicing their faith. The Advisory Committee condemns all forms of religious persecution, as well as the climate of religious intolerance that has led to armed conflict and even genocide.
The Committee condemns religious persecution and intolerance in the belief that they are assaults on religion’s true role as a source of human dignity and an affirmation of life. To this effect, the Committee commits itself to provide useful information to the U. S. government about religious persecution, and to develop recommendations to combat religious intolerance and assist those seeking refuge from persecution.
The Committee emphasizes the positive role that religion and religious institutions can play in promoting national reconciliation and peace. Accordingly, the Committee commits itself to provide information and recommendations to the U. S. government about the cooperative work of religious organizations to combat intolerance and resolve conflicts, and to develop recom-mendations for reconciliation.
The significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural, and religious backgrounds must be borne in mind. Nevertheless, it is the duty of states, regardless of their political, economic, and cultural systems, to promote and protect religious freedom.
While the Committee recognizes that U.S. foreign policy reflects a process of balancing numerous and sometimes competing interests, it strongly encourages the U. S. government to ensure that support for religious freedom worldwide is a paramount factor in this policy-making process. The Committee urges the U. S. government to be bold, as well as prudent, in combating the intolerable violations of freedom of religion worldwide and to take every appropriate action to foster public awareness of the issue. To this effect, the Committee pledges to serve as an effective instrument to help the U. S. government secure respect for freedom of religion and human rights abroad.
Statement of the Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad
July 2, 1997
The United States has long championed religious liberty and will continue to demonstrate leadership in fostering religious tolerance at home and abroad.
Freedom of religion, which, since the founding of this republic, has been a cornerstone of American democracy, is a fundamental human right, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. Around the globe, people of all faiths are subjected to intolerance, discrimination and persecution for their beliefs. At the same time, people of faith are offering their best efforts to ease conflicts and promote reconciliation in many war-torn parts of the world.
The Committee affirms the importance of vigorous, high-profile U.S. efforts to promote and protect religious freedom through public addresses reflecting the inalienable human right to freedom of religion. Statements by the President and members of his cabinet, stressing the importance of religious freedom, can do much to prevent and alleviate human suffering. These efforts can also promote awareness of the role of religious tolerance and reconciliation in resolving conflicts around the world.
The Committee will be conducting further hearings and convening more meetings of its working groups in the coming months as it moves towards its policy recommendations. In its deliberations, it is considering and exploring a wide range of issues, including: bilateral and multilateral diplomacy; the improvement of asylum procedures; the training of State Department and other U.S. personnel in matters of religious freedom; the devotion of resources to programming in areas of social and cultural exchange, rule of law, and the promotion of tolerance, civil society and respect for human rights; and other issues.
APPENDIX FIVE
Bibliography of International Instruments
United Nations
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, adopted 16 Dec. 1966, entered into force 23 March 1976, G.A. Res. 2200A (XXI), UN Doc. A/6316 (1966), 999 UN Treaty Series 171.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted 10 Dec. 1948, General Assembly Res. 217A (III), UN Doc. Q/810, at 71 (1948).
Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, adopted 25 Nov. 1981, General Assembly Res. 6/55, 36 UN GAOR, Supp. (No. 51), UN Doc. A/36/51, at 171 (1981).
Regional Instruments
The Council of Europe
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, signed 4 Nov. 1950, entered into force 3 Sept. 1953, 213 UN Treaty Series 221, European Treaty Series 5.
Protocol No. 1 to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted 20 March 1952, entered into force 18 May 1954, European Treaty Series 9.
The Organization of African Unity
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights adopted 27 June 1981, entered into force 21 Oct. 1986, O.A.U. Doc. CAB/LEG/67/3 Rev. 5.
The Organization of American States
American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man, signed 2 May 1948, OEA/Ser.L./V/II.71, at 17 (1988).
American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San Jose), signed 22 Nov. 1969, entered into force 18 July 1978, OAS Treaty Series 36, O.S.S. Off. Rec. EA/Ser.L/V/II.23, Doc.21, Rev.6 (1979).
Other Instruments
Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Helsinki, 1975
Concluding Document of the Vienna Meeting of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1989
Charter of Paris for a New Europe, 1990
APPENDIX SIX
Bibliography on Religious Freedom and General Human Rights
Amnesty International and International Service for Human Rights, The UN and Refugees' Human Rights: A Manual on How UN Human Rights Mechanisms Can Protect the Rights of Refugees, Lithosphere, London, 1997.
Amnesty International Report, annual publication, Amnesty International Publications, London.
Anti-Semitism World Report, annual publication, Institute of Jewish Affairs, London.
Anti-Semitism Worldwide 1995/6, Tel Aviv University, Lester & Sally Entin Faculty of Humanities, The Project for the Study of Anti-Semitism.
Antisemitism in the Former Soviet Union, Report 1995-1997, Union of Councils for Soviet Jews, USA, May 1997.
Boyle, Kevin and Juliet Sheen, ed., Freedom of Religion and Belief: A World Report, Routledge, London and New York, 1997.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, annual publication by the U.S. Department of State, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
Eck, Diana L. and the Pluralism Project, On Common Ground: World Religions in America, Columbia University Press, New York, 1997. Multimedia CD-ROM.
Human Rights Watch/Asia and Tibet Information Network, Cutting Off the Serpent’s Head: Tightening Control in Tibet, 1994-1995, Human Rights Watch, New York, 1996.
Human Rights Watch, Detained in China and Tibet, Human Rights Watch, New York, 1994.
Human Rights Watch World Report, annual publication, Human Rights Watch, New York.
International Helsinki Federation, annual publication, International Helsinki Federation, Austria.
Ishay, Micheline, R., ed., The Human Rights Reader: Major Political Essays, Speeches, and Documents from the Bible to the Present, Routledge, New York, 1997.
Johnston, Douglas and Cynthia Sampson, ed., Religion, The Missing Dimension of Statecraft, Oxford University Press, 1994.
Kelsay, John and Sumner B. Twiss, ed., Religion and Human Rights, The Project on Religion and Human Rights, New York, 1994.
Lipstadt, Deborah, Beyond Belief: The American Press and the Coming of the Holocaust, 1935-1945, Free Press, New York, 1986.
Lipstadt, Deborah, Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory, Maxwell Macmillan International, 1993.
Little, David, John Kelsay and Abdulaziz Sachedina, Human Rights and the Conflicts of Culture: Western and Islamic Perspectives on Religious Liberty, Univ. of South Carolina Press, Colombia, 1988.
Marshall, Paul with Lela Gilbert, Their Blood Cries Out: The Untold Story of Persecution Against Christians in the Modern World, World Publishing, Dallas, 1997.
Moreno, Pedro C., ed., Handbook on Religious Liberty Around the World, The Rutherford Institute, 1996.
Puebla Institute, China: Religious Freedom Denied, Washington: Puebla Institute, 1994.
Report to UN Commission on Human Rights by Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance, annual publication, United Nations, Geneva.
Shea, Nina, In the Lion's Den, Broadman and Holman, Nashville, 1997.
Tahzib, Bahiyyih G., Freedom of Religion or Belief: Ensuring Effective International Legal Protection, Kluwer, The Netherlands, 1995.
United Nations Centre for Human Rights, Human Rights: A Compilation of International Instruments Vol. 1 (Part 1&2), Universal Instruments, United Nations, New York & Geneva, 1994.
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights Documents: Compilation of Documents Pertaining to Human Rights, Committee Print, Washington, D.C., 1983.
United States Institute of Peace, report series on Religion, Nationalism and Intolerance, Washington, D.C., USIP Press.
United States Policies in Support of Religious Freedom: Focus on Christians, U.S. Department of State, 1997.
Van der Vyver, Johan D. and John Witte, Jr., Religious Human Rights in Global Perspective: Legal Perspectives, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, The Hague/Boston/London, 1996.
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