The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom this week sent a letter (
full text) to President Obama urging him to highlight the importance of religious freedom during his upcoming visits to Indonesia and India. On Indonesia, the letter said:
In our visit earlier this year, USCIRF was impressed by the commitments made by officials from different levels of government to advance religious freedom and related human rights as essential to Indonesia’s democratic future. However, strong political forces, terrorist networks, and extremist groups continue to challenge Indonesia’s democratic trajectory and are a source of ongoing, serious violations of religious freedom and related human rights.
As to India, USCIRF said:
India’s democracy, religious pluralism, and tradition of religious tolerance are truly noteworthy. Despite this history of tolerance and the current national government’s commitment to sustaining it, unfortunately episodic communal violence continues to occur. The governmental response, particularly at the state and local levels, has not been adequate, and justice for victims, such as those in Gujarat and Orissa, often has been slow and ineffective.
