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WASHINGTON—A roundtable focusing on religious persecution in China set the stage on July 23 for the U.S. Department of State’s first ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. The ministerial signals that the Trump administration intends to place religious freedom at the center of its foreign policy agenda.
Greg Mitchell, co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable in Washington, hosted the event, which he described as the “kick off” for the ministerial. Dozens of human rights experts and advocates, as well as victims of religious persecution in China, shared their views and personal stories.
Mitchell noted that similar stories of people being tortured and even killed for their religious beliefs have been shared over and over again in the past, but he said things will be different this time.
“It was always the pattern or habit for the government to not put pressure on those governments that are partners, ” said Mitchell.
“We want to change that. The ‘Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom’ sends a message to the world, to the governments of the world, that we are building this global religious freedom movement now.
“Even if you are an economic partner, a national security partner, a partner in the war on terror or nuclear nonproliferation, the U.S. government wants you to be a partner on this now, too, to advance religious freedom.”
In an interview transcript released by the State Department, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “This is a big deal, the first time the State Department has ever hosted such a gathering. ”
“We’ll have folks from over 80 countries, 40-plus foreign ministers, all kinds of religious groups and NGOs all coming together on a common theme, which is that the advancement of religious freedom matters to every individual in every country,” Pompeo said. “The human dignity, human rights attached to religious freedom, I feel personally, and I know President Trump does as well.
“We want this administration to make religious freedom a true priority for the United States State Department in every interaction we have with our foreign partners.”
Sam Brownback, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, expressed the same idea at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, as it launched a week of activities to advance international religious freedom, on July 23.
“This is something in the DNA of the United States. We believe in this in our very soul. We believe this is a God given right,” Brownback told NTD, a part of Epoch Media Group. “I am delighted that this administration has made this a top foreign policy priority. And we are going to push it, and push it aggressively.”
From July 24 to 26, a wide range of events will be held at the State Department and other locations in Washington, with senior U.S. officials providing an overview of foreign policy goals in relation to international religious freedom.
Civil society groups, including religious leaders and survivors of religious persecution, will convene to tell their stories. More than 175 civil society representatives and more than 100 religious leaders from around the world will participate.
At the July 23 roundtable, Falun Gong practitioner Chi Lihua and her daughter, Xu Xinyang, were some of those who came to tell their stories of religious persecution.
They held up before and after photos of Chi’s husband and Xu’s father, Xu Dawei, who was tortured while in custody in China. While Chi was pregnant, Xu Dawei was sentenced to eight years for practicing Falun Gong.
When he was released after eight years, he met his daughter for the first time. But only 13 days later, he died due to the severe torture he had suffered in prison. Xu Xinyang is now 16 years old.
For Mitchell, “the days of the U.S. government doing nothing are over.”
Pence and Pompeo Say Religious Liberty Top US Priority
WASHINGTON—Religious freedom is fundamental to the United States and good for the whole world, according to remarks delivered by Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the final day of a State Department-sponsored summit.
“Those nations that reject religious freedom breed radicalism and resentment in their citizens,” Pence said July 26 at the State Department’s Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. “They sow the seeds of violence within their borders—violence that often spills over into their neighbors and across the world.”
He said that 83 percent of the world’s population lives in nations where religious freedom is either threatened or even banned.
Pence heralded America’s history of honoring religious freedom. “The American Founders enshrined religious freedom as the first freedom in the Constitution of the United States. America has always and will always lead the world by our example,” he said.
“The right to believe or not believe is the most fundamental of freedoms. When religious liberty is denied or destroyed, we know that other freedoms—freedom of speech, of press, assembly, and even democratic institutions themselves—are imperiled.”
The three-day ministerial was the first of its kind and will become an annual event, Pompeo said at the event conclusion on July 26.
He said more than 80 foreign delegations and religious leaders from around the world joined the ministerial. The religious leaders work closely with civil-society groups, “who are often on the frontlines of reporting and responding to cases of religious intolerance and persecution,” Pompeo said.
“Since the earliest days of his presidency, President Trump has directed his administration to advance and defend the rights of religious freedom at home and abroad, because religious freedom is a universal God-given right to which all people are entitled. It is also an essential building block for all free societies,” he said.
Pompeo said survivors of religious persecution shared their stories at the ministerial, “driving home why this work is so important” and “why religious freedom meant so much to them.”
He said the Trump administration is committed to advancing religious freedom and named several initiatives it is spearheading.
“Those nations that reject religious freedom breed radicalism and resentment in their citizens,” Pence said July 26 at the State Department’s Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. “They sow the seeds of violence within their borders—violence that often spills over into their neighbors and across the world.”
He said that 83 percent of the world’s population lives in nations where religious freedom is either threatened or even banned.
Pence heralded America’s history of honoring religious freedom. “The American Founders enshrined religious freedom as the first freedom in the Constitution of the United States. America has always and will always lead the world by our example,” he said.
“The right to believe or not believe is the most fundamental of freedoms. When religious liberty is denied or destroyed, we know that other freedoms—freedom of speech, of press, assembly, and even democratic institutions themselves—are imperiled.”
The three-day ministerial was the first of its kind and will become an annual event, Pompeo said at the event conclusion on July 26.
He said more than 80 foreign delegations and religious leaders from around the world joined the ministerial. The religious leaders work closely with civil-society groups, “who are often on the frontlines of reporting and responding to cases of religious intolerance and persecution,” Pompeo said.
“Since the earliest days of his presidency, President Trump has directed his administration to advance and defend the rights of religious freedom at home and abroad, because religious freedom is a universal God-given right to which all people are entitled. It is also an essential building block for all free societies,” he said.
Pompeo said survivors of religious persecution shared their stories at the ministerial, “driving home why this work is so important” and “why religious freedom meant so much to them.”
He said the Trump administration is committed to advancing religious freedom and named several initiatives it is spearheading.
Action Plans
The main outcomes of the ministerial were the Potomac Declaration and the Potomac Plan of Action.
The declaration, Pompeo said, is a formal affirmation that the United States “takes religious freedom seriously, that we will work with others around the world to help those under attack for their beliefs, and that we expect leaders around the world to make it their priority as well.”
The plan of action provides concrete ways that the international community and governments can do more to protect religious freedom and to protect vulnerable religious communities in their own countries.
The State Department has created a new International Religious Freedom Fund, which is a joint fund with other nations, to support the work of religious-freedom defenders and assist victims of persecution.
The department also created an International Visitor Leadership Program, a 10-day project that will bring those working on the front lines of religious freedom to the United States. The program will focus on promoting religious pluralism and protecting the rights of religious minorities.
The government also is preparing to launch a Genocide Recovery and Persecution Response initiative, which will assist communities recovering from atrocities.
“While focused first on our ongoing response to the genocide committed by ISIS in Iraq, our hope is that this program will assist victims in many different places,” Pompeo said.
Pompeo praised the ministerial as “truly unbelievable,” adding that “there is truly eternal significance in the work that we have done.”
The main outcomes of the ministerial were the Potomac Declaration and the Potomac Plan of Action.
The declaration, Pompeo said, is a formal affirmation that the United States “takes religious freedom seriously, that we will work with others around the world to help those under attack for their beliefs, and that we expect leaders around the world to make it their priority as well.”
The plan of action provides concrete ways that the international community and governments can do more to protect religious freedom and to protect vulnerable religious communities in their own countries.
The State Department has created a new International Religious Freedom Fund, which is a joint fund with other nations, to support the work of religious-freedom defenders and assist victims of persecution.
The department also created an International Visitor Leadership Program, a 10-day project that will bring those working on the front lines of religious freedom to the United States. The program will focus on promoting religious pluralism and protecting the rights of religious minorities.
The government also is preparing to launch a Genocide Recovery and Persecution Response initiative, which will assist communities recovering from atrocities.
“While focused first on our ongoing response to the genocide committed by ISIS in Iraq, our hope is that this program will assist victims in many different places,” Pompeo said.
Pompeo praised the ministerial as “truly unbelievable,” adding that “there is truly eternal significance in the work that we have done.”
Countries of Concern
The State Department also released several statements regarding countries of concern, including Burma, China, and Iran where religious intolerance or persecution is continuous.
“We are deeply concerned about the significant restrictions on religious freedom in China and call on the Chinese government to respect the human rights of all individuals,” the China statement said. “Many members of religious minority groups in China—including Uighurs, Hui, and Kazakh Muslims; Tibetan Buddhists; Catholics; Protestants; and Falun Gong—face severe repression and discrimination because of their beliefs.”
“We strongly urge the Chinese government to protect the religious freedom of all individuals and to respect the human rights of all members of religious groups, in accordance to China’s international commitments to respect freedom of religion.”
Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel Brownback summed up the enthusiasm for the ministerial, saying, “I really think we’re at a moment where the Iron Curtain prohibiting religious freedom is coming down, and you’re going to see a burst of freedom, of religious freedom, around the world taking place.”
The State Department also released several statements regarding countries of concern, including Burma, China, and Iran where religious intolerance or persecution is continuous.
“We are deeply concerned about the significant restrictions on religious freedom in China and call on the Chinese government to respect the human rights of all individuals,” the China statement said. “Many members of religious minority groups in China—including Uighurs, Hui, and Kazakh Muslims; Tibetan Buddhists; Catholics; Protestants; and Falun Gong—face severe repression and discrimination because of their beliefs.”
“We strongly urge the Chinese government to protect the religious freedom of all individuals and to respect the human rights of all members of religious groups, in accordance to China’s international commitments to respect freedom of religion.”
Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel Brownback summed up the enthusiasm for the ministerial, saying, “I really think we’re at a moment where the Iron Curtain prohibiting religious freedom is coming down, and you’re going to see a burst of freedom, of religious freedom, around the world taking place.”
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