Church and state: Unusual government report focuses on Christian persecution

July 23, 1997
Web posted at: 3:19 a.m. EDT (0719 GMT)

From Correspondent Steve Hurst

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In the United States, where separation of church and state are sacrosanct, it's odd to find Congress ordering the executive branch to study the persecution of Christians worldwide.

However, both arms of government agree the maltreatment of Christians in the world is woefully underreported.

"I read a study a while ago that made the argument, and it is a plausible argument, that there has been more persecution of Christians in the 20th century than in any of the preceding 19 centuries," said Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn.

Studies like these led to the State Department survey of suppression, harassment and other atrocities around the globe.

"The issue of persecution is a serious one affecting many religions," Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck said. "The issue has not previously received much attention with respect to Christians, and the focal point of this report, at the request of Congress, is that subject."

The Christian lobby, for one, believes the study was necessary.

"It has to be understood that the State Department, our government, needs to do a lot more to begin to seriously address what we think is the foremost human rights issue in the world today, namely the persecution of Christians," said Richard Cizik of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Burma, Iran, China criticized

Although the report touches on the kidnappings and deaths of Christian leaders in Burma and the imprisonment of several religious leaders in Iran, its findings are especially vigorous on China. Shattuck, however, cautioned that China was not targeted.

"I think this is not a report that focuses on China anymore than it focuses on any other one country," Shattuck said. "But those who are seeking to exercise basic rights of freedom of religion in China (are being persecuted.)"

The report charges that Communists in China are in the tenth month of a crackdown to rid the country of religious groups not licensed by that party.

Just hours after the report was issued in Washington, Russian President Boris Yeltsin took a huge political gamble by rejecting proposed legislation that would have had a draconian effect on most Christian denominations aside from Russian Orthodoxy.

In the reportıs forward, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright states that "people who are free to profess their beliefs without fear and to live by them without impediment will do more to enrich their societies than people held back by prejudice."

But despite its findings, there is a sense the State Department did not feel comfortable doing this report without it being included in a larger picture of human rights abuses worldwide. And sources tell CNN the department would be more comfortable not focusing on one religious group ever again.

Related stories:

• U.S. accuses China of religious persecution - July 22, 1997
• Yeltsin rejects bill to restrict religious worship - July 22, 1997

Related site:

• United States Policies in Support of Religious Freedom:Focus on Christians

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