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106th Congress 
 2d Session              JOINT COMMITTEE PRINT                  S. Prt.
                                                                 106-61
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

 
                            ANNUAL REPORT ON
                    INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
                                  2000

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                            SUBMITTED TO THE

                     COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

                              U.S. SENATE

                                AND THE

                  COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

                     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                 BY THE

                          DEPARTMENT OF STATE

                 IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 102 OF THE
              INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT OF 1998

                                     
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>

                              NOVEMBER 2000

Printed for the use of the Committees on Foreign Relations of the U.S. 
     Senate and International Relations of the U.S. House of Representatives
     respectively


                     COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

                 JESSE HELMS, North Carolina, Chairman

RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana            JOSEPH R. BIDEN, Jr., Delaware
CHUCK HAGEL, Nebraska                PAUL S. SARBANES, Maryland
GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon              CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut
ROD GRAMS, Minnesota                 JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts
SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas                RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD, Wisconsin
CRAIG THOMAS, Wyoming                PAUL D. WELLSTONE, Minnesota
JOHN ASHCROFT, Missouri              BARBARA BOXER, California
BILL FRIST, Tennessee                ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, New Jersey
LINCOLN D. CHAFEE, Rhode Island

                   Stephen E. Biegun, Staff Director

                 Edwin K. Hall, Minority Staff Director

                                 ______

                  COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

                 BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York, Chairman

WILLIAM GOODLING, Pennsylvania       SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut
JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa                 TOM LANTOS, California
HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois              HOWARD L. BERMAN, California
DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska              GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey     ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American 
DAN BURTON, Indiana                  Samoa
ELTON GALLEGLY, California           DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida         ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey
CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina       SHERROD BROWN, Ohio
DANA ROHRABACHER, California         CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY, Georgia
DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois         ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California          PAT DANNER, Missouri
PETER T. KING, New York              EARL F. HILLIARD, Alabama
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio                   BRAD SHERMAN, California
MARSHALL ``MARK'' SANFORD, South     ROBERT WEXLER, Florida
Carolina                             STEVEN R. ROTHMAN, New Jersey
MATT SALMON, Arizona                 JIM DAVIS, Florida
AMO HOUGHTON, New York               EARL POMEROY, North Dakota
TOM CAMPBELL, California             WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts
JOHN M. McHUGH, New York             GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
KEVIN BRADY, Texas                   BARBARA LEE, California
RICHARD BURR, North Carolina         JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York
PAUL E. GILLMOR, Ohio                JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL, Pennsylvania
GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California     [VACANCY]
JOHN COOKSEY, Louisiana
THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado

                    Richard J. Garon, Chief of Staff

          Kathleen Bertelsen Moazed, Democratic Chief of Staff

                                  (ii)

  


                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

Foreword.........................................................   vii

Letter of Transmittal............................................    ix

Preface..........................................................    xi

Introduction.....................................................  xiii

Executive Summary................................................   xix

               REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
                             COUNTRY INDEX

Africa:
    Angola.......................................................     1
    Benin........................................................     2
    Botswana.....................................................     3
    Burkina Faso.................................................     4
    Burundi......................................................     6
    Cameroon.....................................................     7
    Cape Verde...................................................     9
    Central African Republic.....................................    10
    Chad.........................................................    12
    Comoros......................................................    14
    Congo, Democratic Republic of................................    15
    Congo, Republic of...........................................    17
    Cote d'Ivoire................................................    18
    Djibouti.....................................................    23
    Equatorial Guinea............................................    24
    Eritrea......................................................    26
    Ethiopia.....................................................    29
    Gabon........................................................    32
    Gambia, The..................................................    33
    Ghana........................................................    34
    Guinea.......................................................    37
    Guinea-Bissau................................................    39
    Kenya........................................................    40
    Lesotho......................................................    44
    Liberia......................................................    46
    Madagascar...................................................    48
    Malawi.......................................................    48
    Mali.........................................................    50
    Mauritania...................................................    51
    Mauritius....................................................    52
    Mozambique...................................................    54
    Namibia......................................................    56
    Niger........................................................    57
    Nigeria......................................................    59
    Rwanda.......................................................    63
    Sao Tome and Principe........................................    65
    Senegal......................................................    65
    Seychelles...................................................    67
    Sierra Leone.................................................    68
    Somalia......................................................    69
    South Africa.................................................    71
    Sudan........................................................    73
    Swaziland....................................................    79
    Tanzania.....................................................    81
    Togo.........................................................    83
    Uganda.......................................................    85
    Zambia.......................................................    87
    Zimbabwe.....................................................    88

Latin America and the Caribbean:
    Antigua and Barbuda..........................................    95
    Argentina....................................................    96
    Bahamas......................................................    99
    Barbados.....................................................   100
    Belize.......................................................   101
    Bolivia......................................................   103
    Brazil.......................................................   104
    Chile........................................................   106
    Colombia.....................................................   109
    Costa Rica...................................................   112
    Cuba.........................................................   113
    Dominica.....................................................   117
    Dominican Republic...........................................   118
    Ecuador......................................................   120
    El Salvador..................................................   121
    Grenada......................................................   123
    Guatemala....................................................   124
    Guyana.......................................................   126
    Haiti........................................................   127
    Honduras.....................................................   129
    Jamaica......................................................   130
    Mexico.......................................................   131
    Nicaragua....................................................   135
    Panama.......................................................   137
    Paraguay.....................................................   139
    Peru.........................................................   140
    St. Kitts and Nevis..........................................   142
    Saint Lucia..................................................   142
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.............................   143
    Suriname.....................................................   144
    Trinidad and Tobago..........................................   145
    Uruguay......................................................   147
    Venezuela....................................................   148

East Asia and the Pacific:
    Australia....................................................   151
    Brunei.......................................................   152
    Burma........................................................   154
    Cambodia.....................................................   161
    China (includes Hong Kong and Macau).........................   163
    China (Taiwan only)..........................................   181
    Fiji.........................................................   183
    Indonesia....................................................   184
    Japan........................................................   192
    Kiribati.....................................................   194
    Korea, Democratic People's Republic of.......................   195
    Korea, Republic of...........................................   197
    Laos.........................................................   199
    Malaysia.....................................................   203
    Marshall Islands.............................................   205
    Micronesia, Federated States of..............................   206
    Mongolia.....................................................   207
    Nauru........................................................   209
    New Zealand..................................................   209
    Palau........................................................   211
    Papua New Guinea.............................................   212
    Philippines..................................................   214
    Samoa........................................................   218
    Singapore....................................................   219
    Solomon Islands..............................................   221
    Thailand.....................................................   222
    Tonga........................................................   226
    Tuvalu.......................................................   227
    Vanuatu......................................................   228
    Vietnam......................................................   229

Europe and Canada:
    Albania......................................................   241
    Andorra......................................................   243
    Armenia......................................................   244
    Austria......................................................   248
    Azerbaijan...................................................   253
    Belarus......................................................   257
    Belgium......................................................   263
    Bosnia and Herzegovina.......................................   266
    Bulgaria.....................................................   270
    Canada.......................................................   274
    Croatia......................................................   275
    Cyprus.......................................................   278
    Czech Republic...............................................   281
    Denmark......................................................   285
    Estonia......................................................   286
    Finland......................................................   288
    France.......................................................   290
    Georgia......................................................   296
    Germany......................................................   300
    Greece.......................................................   306
    Hungary......................................................   311
    Iceland......................................................   315
    Ireland......................................................   317
    Italy........................................................   318
    Kazakhstan...................................................   320
    Kyrgyz Republic..............................................   323
    Latvia.......................................................   325
    Liechtenstein................................................   328
    Lithuania....................................................   329
    Luxembourg...................................................   331
    Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia........................   333
    Malta........................................................   335
    Moldova......................................................   336
    Monaco.......................................................   338
    Netherlands, The.............................................   339
    Norway.......................................................   342
    Poland.......................................................   344
    Portugal.....................................................   349
    Romania......................................................   351
    Russia.......................................................   357
    San Marino...................................................   374
    Serbia-Montenegro............................................   375
    Slovak Republic..............................................   378
    Slovenia.....................................................   382
    Spain........................................................   383
    Sweden.......................................................   386
    Switzerland..................................................   388
    Tajikistan...................................................   391
    Turkey.......................................................   394
    Turkmenistan.................................................   399
    Ukraine......................................................   403
    United Kingdom...............................................   411
    Uzbekistan...................................................   415

Near East and North Africa:
    Algeria......................................................   425
    Bahrain......................................................   427
    Egypt........................................................   429
    Iran.........................................................   436
    Iraq.........................................................   442
    Israel and the occupied territories..........................   448
    Jordan.......................................................   456
    Kuwait.......................................................   460
    Lebanon......................................................   463
    Libya........................................................   466
    Morocco......................................................   467
    The Western Sahara...........................................   470
    Oman.........................................................   471
    Qatar........................................................   472
    Saudi Arabia.................................................   474
    Syria........................................................   479
    Tunisia......................................................   481
    United Arab Emirates.........................................   484
    Yemen........................................................   486

South Asia:
    Afghanistan..................................................   491
    Bangladesh...................................................   497
    Bhutan.......................................................   499
    India........................................................   501
    Maldives.....................................................   511
    Nepal........................................................   512
    Pakistan.....................................................   514
    Sri Lanka....................................................   527

Appendixes:
    A.  United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.....   533
    B.  International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.....   537
    C.  Training at the Foreign Service Institute................   551
    D.  INS and the International Religious Freedom Act..........   555
    E.  Overview of U.S. Refugee Policy..........................   563
  


                                FOREWORD

                              ----------                              

    The report on international religious freedom contained 
herein was prepared by the Department of State in accordance 
with Section 102 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998.
    The report is printed to assist Members of Congress in the 
consideration of legislation, particularly foreign assistance 
legislation.
                                       Jesse Helms,
                          Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations.

                                Benjamin A. Gilman,
                    Chairman, Committee on International Relations.

                                 (vii)

                                     


                         LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                              ----------                              

                                       Department of State,
                                 Washington, DC, September 5, 2000.
Hon. Jesse Helms,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate.
    Dear Mr. Chairman:
    On behalf of the Secretary of State, I am transmitting to 
you the Report on Religious Freedom, prepared in compliance 
with Section 102 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998.
    We hope this report is helpful. Please let us know if we 
can provide any further information.
            Sincerely,
                                    Barbara Larkin,
                          Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs.
    Enclosure.

                                  (ix)

                                     
                                PREFACE

                              ----------                              


             2000 REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

                      Why The Reports Are Prepared

    This report is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State 
in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious 
Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law provides that the Secretary of 
State shall transmit to Congress by September 1 of each year, or the 
first day thereafter on which the appropriate House of Congress is in 
session, ``an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom 
supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing 
additional detailed information with respect to matters involving 
international religious freedom.'' This Annual Report includes 194 
reports on countries worldwide.

                      How The Reports Are Prepared

    In August 1993, the Secretary of State moved to further strengthen 
the human rights efforts of our embassies. All sections in each embassy 
were asked to contribute information and to corroborate reports of 
human rights violations, and new efforts were made to link mission 
programming to the advancement of human rights and democracy. In 1994 
the Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs was reorganized and 
renamed as the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, reflecting 
both a broader sweep and a more focused approach to the interlocking 
issues of human rights, worker rights, and democracy. In 1998 the 
Secretary of State established the Office of International Religious 
Freedom; in May 1999, Robert A. Seiple was sworn in as the first 
Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom.
    The 2000 Report covers the period from July 1, 1999 to June 30, 
2000, and reflects a year of dedicated effort by hundreds of State 
Department, Foreign Service, and other U.S. Government employees. Our 
embassies, which prepared the initial drafts of the reports, gathered 
information throughout this period from a variety of sources, including 
government and religious officials, nongovernmental organizations, 
journalists, human rights monitors, religious groups, and academics. 
This information-gathering can be hazardous, and U.S. Foreign Service 
Officers regularly go to great lengths, under trying and sometimes 
dangerous conditions, to investigate reports of human rights abuse, 
monitor elections, and come to the aid of individuals at risk because 
of their religious beliefs.
    After the embassies completed their drafts, the texts were sent to 
Washington for careful review by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, 
and Labor and its Offices of International Religious Freedom, Country 
Reports and Asylum Affairs, and Bilateral Affairs, in cooperation with 
other State Department offices. As they worked to corroborate, analyze, 
and edit the reports, the Department officers drew on their own sources 
of information. These included reports provided by U.S. and other human 
rights groups, foreign government officials, representatives from the 
United Nations and other international and regional organizations and 
institutions, and experts from academia and the media. Officers also 
consulted with experts on issues of religious discrimination and 
persecution, religious leaders from all faiths, and experts on legal 
matters. The guiding principle was to ensure that all relevant 
information was assessed as objectively, thoroughly, and fairly as 
possible.
    The Report will be used as a resource for shaping policy, 
conducting diplomacy, and making assistance, training, and other 
resource allocations. As mandated by IRFA, it also will be used as a 
basis for decisions on determining countries that have engaged in or 
tolerated ``particularly severe violations'' of religious freedom. 
Countries involved in these and other violations according to IRFA are 
not identified as such in this report, but have been and will be 
engaged independently by the U.S. Government. The Report also will 
serve as a basis for the U.S. Government's cooperation with private 
groups to promote the observance of the internationally recognized 
right to religious freedom.
                              INTRODUCTION

                              ----------                              


   Part I: The American Experiment in International Religious Freedom

    Religious freedom has always been at the core of American life and 
public policy. It is the first of the freedoms enumerated in the Bill 
of Rights--a reflection of the founders' belief that freedom of 
religion and conscience is the cornerstone of liberty. They understood 
that no government was likely to protect the other core rights (e.g., 
freedom of speech or freedom from arbitrary arrest) if it did not honor 
the ``sanctum sanctorum'' of human conscience--the inherent and 
inviolable right of every human being to pursue ultimate truth and to 
believe and worship, or not, as part of that pursuit.
    This core precept of American democracy survived 2 centuries of 
vigorous challenge. Like other aspects of the American ideal, religious 
liberty has been imperfectly applied; some religious traditions 
(Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, and 
indigenous American religions, to name a few) have been resisted, and 
their adherents subject to discrimination and even persecution. But 
today, at the dawn of the third millenium, religions are flourishing in 
the United States, their respective traditions enriching not only their 
own adherents, but American public policy as well.

                          Grassroots Democracy

    During the 1980's and 1990's, more and more American religious 
organizations became involved in the development and articulation of 
U.S. human rights policies abroad. Much of this activism stemmed from a 
shared belief in the universal dignity of the human person--the 
conviction that every human being is endowed with an intrinsic and 
inviolable worth, from which flows inalienable rights (a conviction 
reflected both in the American Declaration of Independence and the 1948 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights). As American religious 
communities became more aware of human rights abuses abroad, they began 
to focus on the plight of coreligionists who were struggling to 
establish their own right to believe and to worship and who were 
encountering fierce resistance from those wielding political power.
    During the 1990's some individuals and religious organizations--in 
particular those from Christian, Buddhist, and Jewish traditions--began 
to lobby the Administration and Congress. Their goal was to sharpen the 
focus of American foreign policy on religious persecution abroad. The 
result was a textbook case of democratic activism. Partly in response 
to this impulse, the Department of State by the mid 1990's began to 
intensify its attention to religious freedom. In 1996 Secretary of 
State Warren Christopher announced the establishment of an Advisory 
Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad, composed of 20 American 
religious leaders and scholars. In an interim report issued in 1998 and 
a final report issued in 1999 the Committee recommended structural 
changes and foreign policy initiatives that would institutionalize the 
promotion of religious freedom as part of U.S. foreign policy. 
Throughout its tenure, the Committee was chaired and supported by the 
Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
    During the same period, the Department of State responded to 
increased public and Congressional interest by preparing a report 
entitled ``U.S. Policies in Support of Religious Freedom: Focus on 
Christians'' (July 1997). The new Secretary of State, Madeline 
Albright, made it clear that promoting religious freedom was to be a 
priority during her tenure at the Department. In 1997 she issued 
instructions to all American Embassies and Consulates to increase U.S. 
advocacy, monitoring, and reporting on the issue. In multilateral 
venues such as the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, 
U.S. delegations made religious freedom a high priority. In 1998, 
responding to a recommendation by the Advisory Committee, Secretary 
Albright announced that she would appoint a senior level coordinator 
for religious freedom.
    Meanwhile, Congress was engaging in an extended debate over a 
legislative approach to promoting religious liberty abroad. In May 
1997, Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia and Senator Arlen Specter of 
Pennsylvania introduced the first version of what was to become--some 
18 months later--the International Religious Freedom Act. Their bill 
triggered a vigorous debate within the faith-based, nongovernmental 
organization (NGO), and human rights communities over the most 
appropriate and effective ways for the United States to confront 
religious persecution and discrimination abroad.
    During the next year and a half a national dialogue evolved--joined 
not only by those who had lobbied from the beginning, but by faith-
based, human rights, and foreign policy organizations from across the 
political and religious spectrums. Foreign governments, watching the 
debate with rising interest, expressed their concerns in capitals 
abroad and in Washington. The Department of State, led by Assistant 
Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor John Shattuck, made 
its views known through testimony before the House International 
Relations Committee and in other venues.
    The issues were important--and controversial: How can the United 
States influence governments (including U.S. allies) that persecute or 
discriminate against their citizens on the basis of religion? What 
religions should be covered? What regions? Should economic sanctions be 
included, and, if so, should they be automatic? Should there be a 
special category of religious refugees? Should the senior U.S. 
religious freedom official be located in the White House or the State 
Department? Should a new governmental body, such as an independent 
commission, be created to provide the President, the Secretary of 
State, and Congress a separate source of policy recommendations? Is it 
legitimate for the United States to identify one form of persecution 
for special treatment, or would doing so create a troubling ``hierarchy 
of rights'' that could marginalize other victims of persecution? Could 
victims of religious persecution actually be harmed by a new U.S. focus 
on their plight?
    These and other issues were debated intensely throughout 1997 and 
1998. In March 1998, Senator Don Nickles of Oklahoma introduced in the 
Senate an alternative bill which attempted to build on the commentary 
that Wolf-Specter had generated. In May 1998, the House passed a 
revised version of the latter bill. During the next 6 months, a few 
dedicated and passionate Congressional staff members, joined at times 
by State Department representatives and other key actors, met to hammer 
out a bill that would have broad bipartisan support. In October 1998, 
the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) was passed unanimously 
by both Houses of Congress and was signed immediately by the President.

                  A Legislative Mandate Comes to Life

    The various streams that led to the Act had their source in the 
American passion for religious liberty and the conviction that it was 
the birthright of every human being. Herein lay the greatest potential 
for an effective U.S. religious freedom policy abroad: While the Act 
paid homage to American history and the first Amendment, it drew 
heavily on international standards grounded in universal truths. It 
cited the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which notes that 
``all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They 
are endowed with reason and conscience.''
    In short, the IRFA made no attempt to impose ``the American way'' 
on foreign governments. Rather, it put the weight of American foreign 
policy behind the proposition that all nations must adhere to the 
standards of international behavior that they themselves have accepted, 
including the mandate to protect the universal right of religious 
freedom and freedom of conscience. The Act was universal in scope: it 
targeted no region and covered all religions. It provided sanctions for 
the worst violators of religious freedom, but sanctions were not 
automatic. Instead, the President was given wide latitude to choose the 
most effective response to severe violations.
    In order to carry out this policy, the Act created three core 
mechanisms: an Office of International Religious Freedom under an 
Ambassador at Large, located in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, 
and Labor; an Annual Report that covers every foreign country, coupled 
with an annual identification of severe violators; and a separate, 
bipartisan U.S. Commission to make independent recommendations.
    The Office of International Religious Freedom. In August 1998, 
Robert A. Seiple assumed the office of Special IRF Adviser to the 
President and Secretary of State. In May 1999, he was sworn in as the 
first Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. During 
his 2-year tenure, Seiple built his office into a staff of 10, 
including foreign service, military, and civil service officers. Its 
mandate is to promote religious freedom as a core tenet of U.S. human 
rights policy by monitoring religious persecution and discrimination 
worldwide; meeting with foreign governments, faith-based groups, and 
NGO's; integrating the issue into the mainstream of U.S. foreign 
policy; and overseeing the production of the Annual Report on 
International Religious Freedom. The Office is also charged with 
advising the Secretary of State on the designation of ``countries of 
particular concern'' under the IRF Act.
    Seiple's methodology has been to ``promote, not punish.'' He and 
his staff have visited 26 countries-many of them among the world's 
worst abusers of religious freedom--in order to explain his emphasis, 
and that of the IRF Act, on international standards as the basis for 
U.S. actions. They have met with hundreds of foreign officials, 
religious leaders, NGO's, and human rights groups at home and abroad. 
They have heard the stories of people who fear for their well-being and 
safety because of their religious beliefs. They have told allies and 
adversaries alike that freedom of religion and conscience is not a 
western invention but flows from the traditions of universal and 
inviolable human dignity present in every world religion.
    The Office of International Religious Freedom also has articulated 
and advocated U.S. policy in academic and policy conferences and media 
events throughout the country and abroad. It has initiated a series of 
conferences, co-sponsored by the Department's Bureau of Intelligence 
and Research, on religious freedom and foreign policy. It has 
implemented a highly successful program of outreach to U.S. Muslim 
leaders and plans to expand this program to include other American 
religious traditions. It has provided funding--through the Department's 
Human Rights and Democracy Fund--for several NGO-led reconciliation 
programs in religion-based conflicts. Ambassador Seiple has testified 
before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the House International 
Relations Committee and its Subcommittee on International Operations 
and Human Rights, the Helsinki Commission, and the Congressional Human 
Rights Caucus.
    In all its endeavors, the Office of International Religious Freedom 
has sought (in the words of the Act) to ``stand with the persecuted,'' 
to provide hope to the millions throughout the world who suffer because 
they dare to believe in, and to worship, an authority beyond the state.
    The Annual Report. The first Annual Report on International 
Religious Freedom was issued by the Department of State in September 
1999. It contained chapters on the status of religious freedom in 194 
countries worldwide. Each chapter was initially drafted in an American 
Embassy or Consulate abroad and then compiled and edited by the Office 
of Country Reports and Asylum Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy, Human 
Rights, and Labor. Its introduction focused on the connection between 
concepts of universal human dignity and freedom of religion and 
explained some of the report's analytical methods. Its Executive 
Summary highlighted various categories of restrictions on religious 
liberty worldwide, while detailing U.S. efforts to address those 
restrictions.
    Religious organizations, NGO's, and human rights groups generally 
hailed the first report as an important first step in the battle 
against religious persecution. Foreign governments' responses varied 
widely, from outright hostility to private gratitude. Some insisted 
that the United States had no right to invoke international standards 
unilaterally and that such issues could only be addressed in 
international forums. Others (including some democratic allies) 
asserted a right of state-supported scrutiny of, and hostility toward, 
certain minority religions.
    Indeed, as elaborated elsewhere in this Report, the United States 
agrees that issues of religious freedom ought to be addressed in 
international forums. It does so regularly and vigorously. But the 
United States also believes that all nations have the right, and the 
obligation, to address on a bilateral basis with other nations those 
international standards that they themselves have accepted. Further, 
the international provison for freedom of religion and conscience is 
grounded in state acceptance of minority religions rather than in 
state-supported skepticism or hostility. Religious freedom is a good, 
not a danger from which citizens must be protected--a fact that even 
some mature democracies have not yet accepted.
    The U.S. Commission on IRF. The IRF Act also mandated the creation 
of an independent, bipartisan U.S. Commission on International 
Religious Freedom, consisting of nine eminent American leaders from a 
variety of faiths. Five were appointed by the President and Democratic 
Congressional leaders; four by Republican Congressional leaders. The 
Ambassador at Large also sits on the Commission as an ex officio, 
nonvoting member.
    The Commission was established for 4 years beginning in May 1999, 
and each Commissioner was given a 2-year term. The first Chairman was 
Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of 
Reform Judaism and a Democratic appointee. The deputy chairman was 
Michael K. Young, Dean of the George Washington University Law Center 
and a Republican appointee. To emphasize its bipartisan nature, the 
Commission agreed that its chair and deputy would rotate annually 
between appointees of the two parties. Accordingly, in May 2000, the 
chair passed to Elliot Abrams, President of the Ethics and Public 
Policy Center (Republican appointee), and the deputy chair to Firuz 
Kazemzadeh, Secretary of External Affairs of the National Assembly of 
the Baha'is of the United States (Democratic appointee).
    Other Democratic appointees are Archbishop Theodore McCarrick of 
the Archdiocese of Newark; Dr. Laila al-Mariati, Past President of the 
Muslim Women's League; and Justice Charles Z. Smith of the Washington 
State Supreme Court. Other Republican appointees are Nina Shea, 
Director of the Center for Religious Freedom, Freedom House, and John 
Bolton of the American Enterprise Institute. The Commission's staff is 
headed by its Executive Director, Steven McFarland.
    As part of its mandate to recommend policies on religious freedom, 
the Commission prepares its own annual report, the first of which was 
issued in May 2000. This report focused on three countries of concern--
China, Sudan and Russia--and provided extensive recommendations for 
U.S. policymakers. It also contained a thorough review of the State 
Department's first Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, 
including a series of recommendations on how it might be improved.
    The Commission has begun to play an important role in the 
articulation and implementation of U.S. policy. Its members and staff 
have met with key Department of State officials, including the 
Secretary of State and the Under Secretary for Political Affairs. 
Commission members have traveled abroad to gather information and to 
advocate religious freedom. They have held public hearings and 
testified before the U.S. Congress on many occasions. Commission 
recommendations--communicated publicly or privately to the 
Administration--have already had an impact on key policy decisions, 
including the Secretary of State's designation of ``countries of 
particular concern'' under the IRF Act.
    The Scorecard. On balance the new U.S. strategy for promoting 
religious freedom has had a promising beginning. From its origins in 
the minds of a few committed individuals, to its implementation in the 
actions of Secretary Albright, President Clinton and the U.S. Congress, 
U.S. religious freedom policy has provided a case study--both of the 
American democratic process and of the universal applicability of 
America's founding precepts.
    Energized and formed by an American approach to freedom of 
religion, the policy has nevertheless been articulated as part of an 
international covenant, in which nations commit themselves to mutual 
accountability. There are risks in this approach--not least the 
exposure of the United States to criticism from others. But if it is 
sound, U.S. policy will withstand--and profit from--the scrutiny of 
other nations, human rights organizations, and religious groups.
    In his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on 
May 16, 2000, Ambassador Robert Seiple articulated his sense of how far 
U.S. policy has come, and the enormous task that remains. ``Those of us 
who are charged with implementing the International Religious Freedom 
Act,'' he said, ``have had some modest but invigorating victories--some 
religious prisoners freed, some religious refugees assisted, a few bad 
laws repealed or altered. But we must take the long view: None of us 
can claim, nor should we expect, that the millions who suffer for their 
religious beliefs will have been loosed from their torments 18 months 
after the passage of the International Religious Freedom Act or because 
of the actions of my office or those of the independent U.S. 
Commission. But, I believe that we have made a start. Together, we have 
planted seeds--seeds of hope and of future action. With God's help, 
those seeds are taking root and will one day bear fruit.''

    Part II: Freedom of Religion and Conscience as a Cornerstone of 
                               Democracy

    One of the most encouraging developments of the past decade has 
been the dramatic increase in the number of nations aspiring to 
democratic governance. In Europe, central Asia, Africa, and Latin 
America, countries are struggling to develop and implement the norms of 
representative government. As noted in the 1999 Annual Report on 
International Religious Freedom, the number of democracies in the world 
almost doubled during the decade of the 1990's.
    That report also noted that freedom alone is no guarantee of human 
dignity. Adopting the forms of democracy does not always signify an 
acceptance of universal human rights, including the right of religious 
freedom. This is sometimes true because democratic majorities are tied 
to a particular religious tradition, or to a tradition of religious 
skepticism, and are resistant to new and unfamiliar religions. In some 
aspiring democracies, minority religions are associated with unpopular 
ethnic groups or with unwanted foreign influence. For these and other 
reasons, democracy alone is no guarantee of religious freedom.
    And yet it is empirically indisputable that representative 
governments protect fundamental human rights, including freedom of 
religion and conscience, far more effectively than other political 
systems. Several characteristics of democracy tend to bolster religious 
freedom, including the principles of equality before the law, 
protections for minorities, and a commitment to notions of universal 
human dignity and the protection of fundamental human rights. 
Democratic governments were the driving force in the promulgation of 
the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
    In addition, most democratic traditions recognize that fundamental 
rights are not ``grants'' from the state or society but exist prior to 
both. If they do not--if human rights are in fact created by 
governments--then they cannot be said to be ``universal'' as the world 
acknowledged them to be in the 1948 Universal Declaration. ``All human 
beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,'' notes the 
Declaration, and are ``endowed with reason and conscience.'' If 
governments were the source of rights, governments could abolish them.
    Moreover, the incompatibility of authoritarianism and religious 
liberty is grounded in an empirical political reality: the state that 
honors and nourishes freedom of religion and conscience is one that 
acknowledges its own limits. It is a state that posits the priority of 
the individual and of society. It is, in short, a state that embraces 
the axiom of democracy--government exists to serve society and the 
individual, not the other way around.
    Thus, while democratic states are the most likely guarantors of 
religious freedom, so too is religious freedom an essential component 
of democracy. The right of religious liberty is an obstacle to 
``majoritarian tyranny''--the practices of democratic majorities who 
would coerce minorities in matters of fundamental conscientious 
conviction. Nations that are struggling to implement democracy, and in 
which one religion is historically dominant, will profit from this 
understanding of human freedom. Healthy and vigorous democracies do not 
attempt to control or manage the human quest for ultimate meaning and 
truth. They understand that this endeavor is essential to human freedom 
and dignity--and must be protected.
    Freedom of religion and conscience also contributes to democracy in 
that the free expression of religious conviction--guaranteed in 
international covenants--plays a key role in debates over public 
policy. Each religious tradition has a moral code, a way of 
understanding who we are and how we ought to order our lives together. 
The articulation of these understandings in the public square is not 
something to be feared by democracies. Rather it makes a vital 
contribution to the development of public policy.
    This is true because democracy is more than mere democratic 
procedure. Its vitality, and even its survival, can never be assumed. 
Democracy is an ever-continuing experiment, testing the capacity of 
human beings--often from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds--to 
govern themselves. The success of the experiment relies in part on the 
successful adoption of democratic procedures such as the universal 
franchise, separation of powers, or the secret ballot. But history 
teaches that the habit of democracy is grounded in and transmitted by 
the prior institutions of society, especially the family and religious 
institutions.
    Mature and aspiring democracies alike must revere the right to 
freedom of religion and conscience, even as they develop the forms of 
democratic governance. Governments that purport to represent all their 
citizens must guarantee and nurture this right, which lies at the core 
of every human life, as well as encourage mutual respect among their 
citizens. These governments must acknowledge a core reality, 
demonstrated by history: New and unfamiliar religions do not threaten 
democracy; they enrich it. It is a lesson that must be learned and 
relearned for the on-going, global democratic experiment to succeed.

            Part III. What Has Changed in the Annual Report

    As noted above, the response to the first Annual Report on 
International Religious Freedom from NGO's, human rights groups, and 
religious groups was overwhelmingly positive. Many provided 
constructive suggestions of fact, tone, and organization. We have made 
every effort to ensure that each report is factually accurate, 
balanced, and fair. Our intent is to articulate the status of religious 
freedom in each country chapter, permitting the reader to draw 
conclusions concerning the implications of the restrictions or abuses 
cited. In the Executive Summary, we categorize some of the restrictions 
and abuses, and discuss U.S. actions to alter them. In order to show 
that all the news is not bad, we also discuss some of the improvements 
in religious freedom worldwide.
    The country chapters have been reorganized to make them more 
``reader friendly.'' Each chapter will contain an Introduction, 
designed to provide the reader with a broad overview of the status of 
religious freedom during the 12 months covered by the report (July 1, 
1999 to June 30, 2000). Three major sections will follow: The first 
will cover ``Government Policies on Freedom of Religion'' and will 
contain a variety of subheadings to guide the reader, including 
subsections on the ``Legal/Policy Framework'' and ``Religious 
Demography.'' Subsections entitled ``Governmental Restrictions on 
Religious Freedom,'' and ``Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom'' 
will not only discuss restrictions and abuses but give the context in 
which those problems occurred.
    The second major section will discuss ``Societal Attitudes''; the 
third, ``U.S. Government Policy.''
    A Final Word on Respect. If there is a core assumption underlying 
this report, it is that religions, like human beings, are worthy of 
respect. Were that not the case, there would be no need for a U.S. 
policy on international religious freedom and no need for this report. 
It exists not as an indictment of religions but as a testimony to the 
value of religion and to respect for freedom of conscience. We have 
tried to demonstrate our respect for all religious traditions in this 
report, a respect that is genuine.
    Once again, we invite our readers to provide comments on the 
report. They can do so by writing the Office of International Religious 
Freedom (DRL/IRF), Room 4829, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 
20520.
                           EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

                              ----------                              

    There are no good reasons for any government to violate religious 
freedom or to tolerate those within its warrant who do. However, there 
are many good reasons to promote religious freedom. To that end, this 
Executive Summary identifies some of the barriers to religious freedom 
that exist and provides examples of countries where those barriers are 
in place. It also catalogs some of the improvements in religious 
freedom that occurred during the period of this report. Finally, it 
describes actions that the United States has taken, is taking, and will 
continue to take as a means of fulfilling its responsibilities under 
its own law and to the human family of which it is a part.
    This Executive Summary is divided into three sections:

  <bullet> I.  Barriers to International Religious Freedom

  <bullet> II.  Improvements in International Religious Freedom

  <bullet> III.  U.S. Actions to Promote International Religious 
        Freedom

          Part I: Barriers to International Religious Freedom

    The vast majority of the world's governments have committed 
themselves to respect religious freedom. Indeed, most have accepted one 
or more of the international instruments that explicitly protect that 
right. For example, 144 countries are parties to the International 
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which acknowledges the right of 
every human being ``to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his 
choice'' and ``either individually or in community with others and in 
public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, 
observance, practice and teaching.'' All have pledged ``not to 
discriminate on the basis of religion.''
    Notwithstanding the existence of this and other broadly accepted 
international instruments protecting religious freedom, there remains 
in some countries a substantial difference between promise and 
practice. Much of the world's population lives in countries in which 
the right to religious freedom is restricted or prohibited. This gap 
between word and deed has several causes and can be analyzed in various 
ways. While no analysis is perfect, a system of categorization follows 
that we believe is useful for understanding religious persecution and 
discrimination.
    Totalitarian and authoritarian regimes are characterized by a 
determination to control religious belief and practice. The result--
inevitably--is persecution. Other regimes are hostile to minority or 
unapproved religions. Some tolerate, and thereby encourage, persecution 
or discrimination. Although acts of violence against religious 
minorities may have several causes--for example, ethnicity, or a 
perceived security threat--multicausality does not diminish necessarily 
the significance of religion.
    Still other governments--often either democratic or aspirants to 
democracy--have adopted discriminatory legislation or policies that 
give preferences to favored religions while disadvantaging others, in 
contravention of international instruments. Some democratic states have 
undertaken policies resulting in the stigmatization of minority 
religions--the result of identifying them indiscriminately and 
inaccurately with dangerous ``sects'' or ``cults.''
    Occasionally a nation's policy on religious freedom can be 
understood better in the context of its history, culture, and 
tradition--a particular religion may have dominated the life of a 
nation for centuries, making more difficult the acceptance of new 
faiths that offer challenges in both cultural and theological terms. 
However, tradition and culture should not be used as a pretext for 
legislation or policies that restrict genuine religious belief or its 
legitimate manifestations. Legal restrictions on religious practice--
permitted under international covenants for the protection of public 
safety, order, health, morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms 
of others--should be applied scrupulously and fairly, in as limited a 
way as possible, without discriminating among religions. The practice 
of requiring religious groups to register before they can engage in 
activities such as worship is, by its nature, subject to abuse by local 
jurisdictions, even in cases where it is designed by central 
authorities to be applied in a nondiscriminatory fashion. Nor should a 
legitimate concern over the destructive and unlawful behavior of a 
small number of groups be employed so indiscriminately that new or 
minority religions--perhaps poorly understood or controversial but 
nevertheless posing no danger to public safety, health, or morals, or 
the fundamental rights and freedoms of others--are wrongfully 
stigmatized.
    In the end, every nation should meet the standards on religious 
freedom established by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and 
other international instruments and covenants that they have accepted. 
Each nation is accountable to the international community for its 
failure to meet these standards. The United States acknowledges and 
accepts its responsibility to meet these standards in the safeguarding 
and protection of religious liberty.

           Totalitarian or Authoritarian Attempts to Control
                      Religious Belief or Practice

    Totalitarian and authoritarian regimes are defined by the degree to 
which they seek to control thought and expression, especially dissent. 
It is not uncommon for such regimes to regard minority religious groups 
as enemies of the state because of the content of the religion, the 
fact that the very practice of religion threatens the dominant ideology 
(often by diverting loyalties of adherents toward something beyond the 
state), the ethnic character of the religious group, or a mixture of 
all three. When this association occurs, the result is often religious 
persecution directed by the regime.
    Afghanistan. Afghanistan still does not have a recognized 
government, and most of the country remains under the control of the 
Taliban, which has engaged in persecution and killing. The Afghan Shi'a 
minority has been the victim of Taliban abuses, in significant part 
because of their religious beliefs. As in previous years, the Taliban 
enforced its strict interpretation of Islamic Shari'a law and, 
according to reports, public executions, floggings, and amputations 
took place weekly against those who violated the law. In September 
1999, the Taliban issued decrees aimed at the small non-Muslim minority 
population, forbidding them from building places of worship, banning 
them from criticizing Muslims, ordering them to identify their houses, 
precluding them from living in the same residence as Muslims, and 
requiring non-Muslim women to wear special identifying clothing.
    Burma. The Government of Burma continued to repress systematically 
members of both minority faiths and the majority Buddhist population. 
Buddhist monks who promoted human and political rights were arrested, 
and some Buddhist monasteries were destroyed. Government security 
forces frequently employed coercion to induce Christian members of the 
Chin ethnic minority to convert to Buddhism. Chin Christians were 
conscripted for forced labor, required to desecrate their own churches 
and graveyards, and were subjected to government discrimination. 
Members of various faiths reported harassment of religious leaders by 
government authorities.
    China. Government respect for religious freedom in China 
deteriorated over the reporting period as the persecution of several 
religious minorities increased. While membership in many faiths grew 
rapidly and government supervision of religious activity was minimal in 
some regions, government officials in other regions imposed tight 
regulations, closed houses of worship, and actively persecuted members 
of some unregistered religious groups. Members of such groups were 
subject to harassment, extortion, prolonged detention, physical abuse, 
and incarceration in prison or in ``reeducation through labor'' camps. 
There were credible reports of religious detainees being beaten and 
tortured. The Government increased restrictions on members of many 
minority groups, including Tibetan Buddhists, Muslim Uyghurs, members 
of Falun Gong and other ``heretical cults,'' and Protestants and Roman 
Catholics not belonging to the official churches.
    Cuba. While some observers have noted a greater acceptance of 
religion in Cuba in recent years, the Government continued to engage in 
active efforts to monitor and control religious institutions, including 
the surveillance, infiltration, and harassment of clergy and church 
members. The Government has refused to register new denominations, 
thereby making them vulnerable to charges of illegal association.
    Laos. The Government attempted to supervise and limit religious 
freedom among the majority Buddhist population, imposing mandatory 
Marxist-Leninist training for monks. In some instances, local and 
provincial authorities used harsh, extraconstitutional measures against 
minority religious groups, including detentions without charge and, in 
the case of hundreds of Christians, forced renunciations of faith.
    North Korea. Religious adherents in North Korea deemed unacceptable 
to the regime are treated harshly; many were imprisoned and some 
reportedly executed. (However, these reports cannot be confirmed or 
disproved, given the tight control the regime exercises over 
information. Also, these reported executions appear to have involved 
Christians with links to missionary groups active along the Chinese 
border. The Government suspects such groups of attempting to overthrow 
the regime.) Unauthorized religious activity, especially when occurring 
near sensitive border areas, sometimes was subject to severe repression 
by North Korean officials. Credible reports indicate that some 
prisoners were beaten and treated as if they were insane because of 
their beliefs.
    Vietnam. The Government uses a registration process to control and 
monitor religious activity, severely restricting any practice by groups 
other than officially sanctioned organizations. The Government allows 
only one organization per religious denomination, and members of 
nonregistered organizations may face arbitrary harassment and arrest. 
Clergy from many religious groups, including Cao Dai, Buddhist, Hoa 
Hao, Protestant, and Roman Catholic organizations were detained 
arbitrarily without charge. According to credible reports, at least 20 
persons remain detained or imprisoned because of their religious 
beliefs.

        State Hostility Toward Minority or Nonapproved Religions

    Some governments, while not necessarily determined to implement a 
program of control over minority religions, nevertheless are hostile to 
certain religions or to elements of religious groups identified as 
``security threats.'' These governments implement policies designed to 
intimidate certain religious groups, cause their adherents to convert 
to another religion, or cause their members to flee.
    Iran. The Government continued to abuse the religious freedom of 
minority groups. The country's religious minorities, including Baha'is, 
Jews, Christians, and Sunni Muslims, reported intimidation, harassment, 
and imprisonment on account of their beliefs. Persecution remains a 
problem. Baha'is are singled out by the Government, and at least 11 
Baha'is were imprisoned. On July 1, 2000, 10 Jewish and 2 Muslim 
defendants were convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 4 
to 13 years on charges of spying. The Revolutionary Court deprived the 
accused of almost all legitimate means of defense, and its conduct 
worsened societal attitudes toward the Jewish community.
    Iraq. The Government for decades has conducted a brutal campaign of 
murder, summary execution, and protracted arbitrary detention against 
the religious leaders and adherents of the majority Shi'a Muslim 
population. Security forces murdered senior Shi'a clerics, desecrated 
mosques and holy sites, arrested tens of thousands of Shi'a, and 
forcibly prevented Shi'a from practicing their religion. The Government 
also targeted the country's Christian Assyrians and Chaldeans by 
denying members their political rights and forcibly removing them from 
certain areas of the country.
    Pakistan. In spite of promised improvements following the October 
12, 1999, military coup, the Government continued to enforce 
discriminatory legislation. Some of the legislation directly targeted 
Ahmadis, who also face severe societal discrimination. Christians, 
Hindus, Zikris, and other religious minorities also are subject to 
widespread discrimination and harassment. The so-called blasphemy laws 
have been used by authorities and private citizens to threaten and 
intimidate both members of religious minorities and members of the 
Muslim majority. Sectarian violence, mostly between rival Sunni and 
Shi'a Muslim groups, frequently occurred. The Government did not 
encourage violence; however, there were instances in which the 
Government failed to intervene in cases of sectarian violence.
    Saudi Arabia. The Government supports the Sunni majority, and 
members of the Shi'a minority are subject to officially sanctioned 
political and economic discrimination. In some cases, they have 
experienced arbitrary detention and other more severe forms of 
discrimination. Religious freedom does not exist in the country, and 
non-Muslims may not worship publicly. However, they may engage in 
nonpublic worship if they do so discretely. Any attempt to convert 
Muslims to a non-Muslim religion is a criminal offense. In particular, 
Catholics and Protestants from Asia have been subject to discrimination 
and deportation for violating the Government's strict religious 
regulations.
    Serbia. Slobodan Milosevic continued to exploit ethnic, religious, 
and political divisions to maintain his rule. While religion and 
ethnicity in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia are intertwined closely, 
the Government continued to suppress religious minorities and provide 
preferential treatment to the Serbian Orthodox Church. In Serbia's 
sister republic, Montenegro, tensions between the ecclesiastically 
unofficial Montenegrin Orthodox Church and the officially recognized 
Serbian Orthodox Church worsened and were politicized by the opposing 
political factions.
    Sudan. Against the backdrop of an ongoing civil war, the Muslim-
dominated regime continued to persecute members of religious 
minorities. Christians, practitioners of traditional indigenous 
religious, and Muslims who deviate from the Government's interpretation 
of Islam were subject to arbitrary arrest and detention, threats, 
violence, and forced conversion to Islam. The Government's support of 
slavery and its continued military action in villages in the Nuba 
mountains, which resulted in numerous deaths, are due in part to the 
victims' religious beliefs.
    Turkmenistan. The Government places significant limits on freedom 
of religion and religious organizations by requiring that religious 
groups have 500 members before they may be registered with the 
Government. Only Sunni Muslims and Russian Orthodox Christians have 
enough members to be registered officially, and all other religious 
groups, including Baha'is, Baptists, Hare Krishnas, Seventh Day 
Adventists, some Muslims, and Pentecostals, face official harassment. 
Government interference in unregistered religious activity increased, 
as officials harassed group members, deported foreigners, denied visa 
renewals, confiscated religious materials, demolished a Hare Krisha 
temple and a Seventh Day Adventist church, and allegedly tortured some 
religious detainees.
    Uzbekistan. The Government continued a harsh campaign against 
unauthorized Islamic groups, often failing to distinguish between 
Islamacist terrorist groups that seek to overthrow the Government by 
force and other devout Islamic groups, often part of the political 
opposition. Labeling them a threat to national security, the Government 
indiscriminately arrested hundreds of members of such groups and 
sentenced them to lengthy jail terms. Officials frequently used 
registration requirements to restrict the activity of various religious 
groups, including some Christians and some Muslim groups. Law 
enforcement officials harassed and tortured prisoners, including 
members of unapproved religious organizations, and manufactured false 
evidence against them.

State Neglect of the Problem of Discrimination Against, or Persecution 
                 of, Minority or Nonapproved Religions

    In some countries, governments have laws or policies to discourage 
religious discrimination and persecution but fail to act with 
sufficient consistency and vigor against violations of religious 
freedom by nongovernmental entities or local law enforcement officials.
    Egypt. In Egypt members of the non-Muslim minority generally 
worship without interference, but there is some societal and 
governmental discrimination. Almost 100 persons, including members of 
the Faramawy religious group, were arrested and charged with heresy 
against Islam. Some were convicted and sentenced. Violent exchanges 
between Christians and Muslims in Al-Kush, culminating in early January 
2000, resulted in the death of 21 Christians and 1 Muslim; many more 
were wounded. The Government indicted 135 people for the violence and 
took steps to compensate the victims. Some members of the Christian 
community acknowledge that the Government has become somewhat more 
responsive but still argue that, despite improvements, the approval 
process for church construction remains slow and cumbersome.
    India. Attacks on religious minorities were less intense during the 
reporting period but more widespread. They included assaults on 
Christian clerics and pilgrims and bomb and arson attacks on churches. 
Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh villagers and Hindu pilgrims and laborers were 
killed in conjunction with the ongoing conflict in Kashmir. The central 
Government condemned the attacks and called for tolerance, but the 
response of local law enforcement officials often was inadequate.
    Indonesia. Religious intolerance contributed to intercommunal 
violence in several regions, particularly in the Maluku provinces (also 
known as the Moluccas) and Central Sulawesi. Official statistics record 
that over 2,470 persons were killed in the Moluccus strife since 
violence erupted in January 1999. The victims were divided about 
equally between Christians and Muslims. The Government responded slowly 
and ineffectively, and many accuse the military and police forces of 
bias (against both Christians and Muslims, respectively) and complicit 
in the violence in Maluku.
    Churches and other Christian facilities continued to be attacked in 
Java, where Muslims are a majority, although not to the extent 
experienced in 1996-97.
    Nigeria. The new civilian government's ability to enforce respect 
for religious freedom and to prevent violence between Muslims and non-
Muslims was tested in January 2000 when some northern states began 
formally adopting Islamic law, or Shari'a, as their legal system. The 
adoption of Shari'a triggered interreligious violence in February and 
March, during which hundreds of Christians and Muslims were killed. The 
central Government continued to work with the northern states and with 
the various factions to foster religious freedom, but the potential for 
further violence remains great.

Discriminatory Legislation or Policies Disadvantaging Certain Religions

    Some governments have implemented laws or regulations that favor 
certain religions and place others at a disadvantage. Often this 
circumstance is the result of the historical predominance of one 
religion in a country and may reflect broad social skepticism about new 
or minority religions. Sometimes it stems from the emergence of a 
country from a long period of Communist rule, in which all religion was 
prohibited or at best out of favor. In such countries, skepticism or 
even the fear of certain religions or all religions lingers within 
segments of society. This circumstance led in some cases to a 
curtailment of religious freedom.
    Armenia. The national church in Armenia--the Armenia Apostolic 
Church--is not subject to some of the restrictions on religious freedom 
that are imposed on other religious organizations that must register 
with the Government. Jehovah's Witnesses continue to have their 
application for legal recognition rejected because of their ``illegal 
proselytism.'' Members report individual acts of discrimination, 
although there is no discernable pattern of persecution.
    Belarus. The Government openly favors the Belarusian Orthodox 
Church (which was designated as an Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox 
Church in 1989) and has stepped up its harassment of all other 
religious groups. Some of these ``nontraditional'' religions, including 
many Protestant denominations, some Eastern religions, and the 
Belarusian Orthodox Autocephalous Church, repeatedly have been denied 
registration by the Government, effectively denying them the ability to 
obtain property on which to conduct religious services. The Government 
promulgates false accusations against some minority faiths through 
state-owned newspapers and places restrictions on and regularly 
intimidates domestic and foreign religious leaders.
    Bulgaria. The attitude of the Government generally has been 
positive in encouraging greater religious tolerance since early 1998. 
Although religious freedom improved for some nontraditional groups, 
others faced official disfavor and persistent government refusal to 
grant registration. Some groups also continue to face discrimination 
and antipathy from some local governments. The national government has 
not taken any action to dissuade local governments from such 
infringements of religious freedom. There also was concern about a new 
law on religion introduced into the National Assembly, which was in 
committee in the summer of 2000. Some religious groups and the U.S. 
Government have urged the Bulgarian government to revise those 
provisions that have the potential to give the Government excessive 
control over religious affairs.
    Eritrea. The Government singled out members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
for harsh treatment because of their refusal to participate in national 
service and other civic duties. Jehovah's Witnesses and others, 
including some Muslims, were subject to imprisonment for refusing to 
perform national service; however, only members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
are subject to dismissal from the civil service and often are denied 
identification cards, exit visas, trading licenses, and government 
housing.
    Israel. Most non-Jewish citizens are Arab Muslims, and they are 
subject to various forms of discrimination. The Government does not 
provide Israeli Arabs with the same quality of education, housing, 
employment opportunities, and social services as Jews. Government 
spending and financial support are proportionally far lower in 
predominatly non-Jewish areas than in Jewish areas. Evangelical 
Christians and other religious groups have complained in the past that 
the police have been slow to investigate incidents of harassment, 
threats, and vandalism directed against their meetings, churches, and 
other facilities by two ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups.
    Jordan. Government officials in Jordan still have not registered 
the Jordan Evangelical (Christian) Theological Seminary. Pending such 
registration, authorities suspended the renewal of the residence 
permits of all of the seminary's 36 foreign students (who come from 10 
foreign countries), and 2 members of the faculty.
    Malaysia. The Government significantly restricts the Shi'a minority 
from practicing its faith and places some restrictions on the 
activities of political opponents in mosques. It is very difficult for 
Muslims legally to change their religion. In April the state of Perlis 
passed a Shari'a law subjecting Islamic ``deviants'' and apostates to 1 
year of ``rehabilitation.''
    Romania. The Government generally does not impede the observance of 
religious beliefs. However, several religious groups allege that the 
Government delayed or impeded their attempts to acquire property, 
building permits, and other documents and to register as a religious 
group. According to Jehovah's Witnesses' organization, some local 
officials in Romania provided tacit support to Orthodox Christian 
clergy intent on barring Jehovah's Witnesses from practicing their 
faith.
    Russia. National and local officials are working to enforce a 
restrictive 1997 law on religion that replaced a more liberal 1990 law; 
however, there is some confusion regarding the new law, and its 
provisions have been applied inconsistently. The 1997 legislation 
distinguishes between religious organizations and groups, affording 
each a separate legal status that in effect created a hierarchy of 
religions and restricted the rights and privileges of newer and small 
religious communities. The required registration of religious groups 
and organizations at the local level is progressing slowly in some 
regions. Moreover, those that have not registered by December 31, 2000, 
are subject to organizational liquidation by the Government. Uneven 
implementation of the law and contradictory interpretations of the law 
and of other federal and local regulations permitted discriminatory 
practices by some regional and local governments. Many religious groups 
and organizations, both registered and unregistered, face 
discrimination and harassment by some government authorities. Federal 
officials, for the most part, have not taken sufficient action to 
address these concerns. For example, measures were taken to restrict 
the activities of a number of foreign missionaries and congregations 
associated with them. Four U.S. missionaries were refused visas to 
return to the country. Dan Pollard (formerly of the Vanino Baptist 
Church in the Khabarovsk region) was banned from receiving a visa on 
allegations that he violated customs regulations and evaded property 
taxes, a questionable charge given the role of local authorities in 
preventing him from complying with the law.
    Turkey. The Government continued to impose some restrictions on 
religious minorities and on religious expression in government offices 
and state-run institutions, including universities. A 50-year-old ban 
on the wearing of religious head garments in government offices and 
other state-run facilities continued to be enforced. Police detained or 
stopped Christians holding services in private apartments and those 
considered to be proselytizing. The Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary has 
remained closed since 1971, when the state nationalized all private 
institutions of higher learning.

Stigmatization of Certain Religions by Wrongfully Associating Them with 
                    Dangerous ``Cults'' or ``Sects''

    Austria. The Government of Austria intensified its ongoing 
information campaign against religious groups that it considers to be 
harmful to the interests of individuals and society. A brochure issued 
by the Government in September 1999 described several nonrecognized 
groups, as well as Jehovah's Witnesses, in decidedly negative terms 
that many found offensive.
    Belgium. In 1998 the Parliament adopted several recommendations 
from a Commission report on government policy toward ``sects,'' 
including the creation of a center that would report on ``Harmful 
Sectarian Organizations.'' Even though the word ``sect'' has assumed 
pejorative connotations in modern usage, the report noted that it 
employed the term in the traditional sense--a group of organized 
persons espousing the same doctrine within a religion.
    Czech Republic. In August 2000, the Government approved a proposal 
for a new bill on the registration and status of religious 
organizations that copies the restrictive Austrian model.
    France. A 1996 National Assembly report, as well as a followup 1999 
parliamentary report, labeled 173 groups as ``sects'' (a more precise 
English translation of the French in this instance would be ``cults''), 
actions which contributed to an atmosphere of intolerance toward 
minority religions. A few of the groups on the list are clearly 
dangerous, but most are merely unfamiliar or unpopular. Members of some 
groups that appear on the list continue to allege government and 
societal discrimination. Private legislation to update and toughen 
existing laws invoked to deal with cults, including a controversial 
provision defining the crime of ``mental manipulation,'' was introduced 
in the Senate in December 1999 and passed in amended form on a first 
reading by the National Assembly in June 2000. The competing versions 
of the bill have to be reconciled before final passage, although this 
action may not occur before mid-2001, given the current legislative 
calendar. The Minister of Justice further requested that the Senate, 
when it takes up the bill in the fall of 2000, consider a parallel 
reflection on how this legislation affects the constitutionally 
protected freedom of belief and the country's obligations under 
European and other international human rights conventions.
    Germany. Many officials in the Government believe that the Church 
of Scientology is a money-making scheme rather than a religion, and 
they have continued to investigate the Church and to warn of its 
``totalitarian tendencies.'' The continued official ``observation'' of 
the Church by the Government, without any resulting legal action, 
created an environment that encourages discrimination. Some employers 
refuse to hire Scientologists, and government procurement procedures 
sometimes include so-called sect filters designed to screen out members 
of the Church.

        Part II: Improvements in International Religious Freedom

    The International Religious Freedom Act prescribes a section of the 
Executive Summary that identifies foreign countries in which there has 
been a ``significant improvement in the protection and promotion of'' 
religious freedom and includes a description of the nature of the 
improvement as well as an analysis of the factors contributing to it. 
This report identifies two countries in which improvements during the 
reporting period have been significant and several others in which 
improvements have been noteworthy.
    It also should be noted that, as elaborated elsewhere in the 
Executive Summary and in the country report chapters, there remain 
significant problems of religious discrimination or abuse in some of 
the countries in which improvements have occurred. It is our hope that 
such countries will intensify the kinds of improvements cited in this 
section.
    Further information on actions by the U.S. Government in these 
countries also may be found in the respective country chapters.

       Significant Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom

    Two countries have shown ``significant'' improvements in religious 
freedom. In neither of these countries do the improvements represent a 
fundamental alteration in what otherwise remains a poor human rights 
record. However, in both the improvement has been striking enough to 
raise the hope that it represents the first step in a more systematic 
change. The improvements for these two countries are highlighted in 
order to encourage additional positive steps.
    One country where religious freedom made significant improvement is 
Azerbaijan.
    Azerbaijan. Since the end of the Cold War, many countries of the 
former Soviet Union sought international integration, while 
simultaneously addressing problems of internal and external security. 
These countries understand that their goals of democratic and economic 
development necessitate not only ``membership-in-good-standing'' in 
such institutions as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe (OSCE), the European Union, and the Council of Europe, but also 
adherence to international norms of human rights. These goals are 
threatened by government-sanctioned or tolerated abuses of human 
rights, including religious freedom. Moreover, in an age of global 
communications, where news of arrests, imprisonment, beatings, and 
torture are instantaneously communicated around the world, governments 
no longer control information. The misdeeds of officials are phoned, 
faxed, e-mailed, and sometimes broadcast to an interested foreign and 
domestic public.
    Unfortunately, such communications continue to be necessary. Some 
countries of the former Soviet Union have failed to cut their ties to 
antidemocratic institutions and practices inherited from the Soviet 
system. In these nations, many local and regional officials tend to be 
unimpressed with the value of membership in the international 
community. Sometimes real security problems have led to excesses 
against religious minorities. However, in some countries the national 
leadership increasingly sees the advantages of improvements in 
religious freedom. At least some of the elite realizes not only that 
religious persecution is incompatible with international norms, but 
that foreign companies will not invest where employees and families are 
at risk of abuse because of their religious practices. This realization 
has apparently led to improvements in some countries, although it has 
not necessarily been reflected in improvements in other areas of 
respect for human rights.
    Until the late fall of 1999, the Government of Azerbaijan and local 
law enforcement officials frequently used the Law on Religious Freedom 
and other laws to restrict religious activity by foreigners and 
nontraditional religious groups. For example, in the early fall of 
1999, police and security officials detained, imprisoned, and beat 
clergy, threatened to deport foreign religious workers, and used the 
forum of an assembly at a state factory publicly to humiliate and fire 
workers of a nontraditional religion.
    The Ambassador and other officials of the U.S. Government and the 
international community called this situation to the attention of 
President Aliyev and other high-level officials. Aliyev consulted his 
ministers and then publicly pledged to improve the status of religious 
minorities and to adhere to the country's own constitutional standards 
and international commitments. Since the President's announcement in 
November 1999, deportation orders and other charges against clergy and 
groups of religious minorities have been overturned, many religious 
groups have been allowed to register for the first time, the factory 
workers were reinstated in their jobs, and respect for religious 
freedom has improved. Further, a local law enforcement official was 
punished for his role in abuses against a religious minority. Although 
problems remain, Azerbaijan's willingness to adhere to its 
constitutional and international commitments to respect religious 
freedom represents a significant improvement in the status quo.
    Laos. After the end of the Vietnam War, the Communist authorities 
imposed a repressive regime that severely limited basic human rights. 
Because believers of a number of minority faiths historically had 
opposed the Communist takeover and sometimes continued to oppose the 
Government, such faiths were viewed with suspicion as security threats. 
This attitude was true particularly in the case of a number of minority 
ethnic groups living in strategically sensitive border areas. Members 
of these ethnic groups often belonged predominantly or significantly to 
minority religions. Furthermore, Christianity was viewed as a remnant 
of the former colonial power and Christians were considered to be 
agents of suspect ``Western'' influences. These attitudes, coupled with 
standard Communist ideological opposition to religion, contributed to 
widespread oppression of the religious faithful. Independent religious 
structures were suppressed as possible sources of organized opposition 
to the Government.
    More recently, economic stagnation and the fall of Communism in the 
Soviet Union encouraged economic liberalization. Longstanding hostility 
to the United States began to ebb, and there was increased interest in 
attracting economic assistance and private investment from the West in 
general and from the United States in particular. Economic 
liberalization led to better communications with the outside world, 
including via the Internet. Human rights abuses were more apt to be 
publicized abroad. Many abuses were committed by local and regional 
authorities with varying degrees of independence from the central 
Government. Increasingly, the central government was willing to engage 
in human rights dialogue with other countries on the basis of 
international standards and agreements. All of these forces--economic 
liberalization, better communications, human rights dialogue--fostered 
improvements in human rights and religious freedom.
    The Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom met 
during 1999 with high-ranking officials of the Government in Vientianne 
and with the Laotian Ambassador in Washington to express concern at the 
plight of Christians who were imprisoned because of their faith. 
Embassy officers in Laos also held discussions on the matter with their 
counterparts. In mid-2000 many of the prisoners were released. While 
serious impediments to religious freedom remain in Laos, their release 
constitutes a significant improvement and demonstrates a willingness on 
the part of the central Government to intervene with local and 
provincial authorities when the latter abridge the religious liberties 
of minorities.

        Noteworthy Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom

    There have been other improvements in religious freedom worldwide 
which merit attention. They are as follows:
    Bulgaria. The Government officially approved registration of the 
Nazarene Church, which had been attempting to register for over 5 
years.
    Chile. On July 6, 1999, the Senate approved a new religious law 
(``ley de culto''). Among other provisions, it bestows the same legal 
status (``derecho publico'') on all other faiths that the Catholic 
Church previously enjoyed. The legislation entered into effect in March 
2000. The revision removed the legal possibility of other faiths having 
their status challenged administratively.
    Croatia. The Government enacted constitutional amendments in May 
that added Bosnian Muslims and Albanians to the list of officially 
recognized minorities. Muslims were removed from the list by the 
previous government in 1998. The newly elected Government has shown an 
interest in improving religious freedom, and, to date, religious 
leaders are cautiously optimistic.
    Czech Republic. A new draft bill on religion was pending in the 
legislature of the Czech Republic in mid-2000. The bill, which was 
drafted with the input of various church representatives, would 
facilitate the ability of religious groups to be recognized legally. It 
would lower the number of signatures required to grant a religious 
organization legal status from 10,000 to 300.
    Dominican Republic. Church leaders report that they have noticed 
increased political freedom for religious minorities. In particular the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses 
report improved relations with the Government.
    Egypt. Egyptian Copts were appointed to senior political party 
positions during the reporting period, and some observers noted an 
increased representation of Christians in public and political life. A 
December 1999 decree by President Hosni Mubarak provided that all 
places of worship be subject to the same civil construction code. The 
decree has had the effect of facilitating church repairs. The 
Government's response to sectarian violence against Christians also 
improved. After an outbreak of sectarian violence in the village of Al-
Kush over the New Year, the Government responded quickly to restore 
order. A criminal court in Sohag city indicted 135 people for the 
violence, and the trials are ongoing.
    France. The highest administrative court in France, the Council of 
State, ruled in June 2000 that Jehovah's Witnesses qualify as a 
religion. The ruling exempted Jehovah's Witnesses from property taxes 
levied against their houses of worship. The Government also 
acknowledged Islam as a state-recognized religion, a status which is 
expected, among other things, to lead to the release of state funds for 
building mosques.
    The Gambia. In contrast to previous years, there were no reports of 
persecution against members of the Ahmadis or against any other 
religious group.
    Germany. The Government enacted a series of positive legal reforms. 
The Federal Administrative Court ruled that the public law corporation 
status of a religious community may not be used to deny it the right to 
provide religious instruction in public schools, nor religious 
chaplaincies in the military, in hospitals, or in prisons.
    Ghana. The Government was more active in addressing religious 
conflicts than in past years. In addition to outlawing religious 
slavery, the Government sponsored an interfaith forum to address 
religious conflicts and has taken a more active role in mediating 
interreligious disputes.
    Greece. In June 2000, the Parliament approved a bill allowing the 
construction of the first Islamic cultural center and mosque in modern 
times in the Athens area. In July 2000 the Government completed plans 
to eliminate references to religious affiliation on official 
identification cards, which may help to protect individuals from 
discrimination.
    Indonesia. In January 2000, President Wahid issued a decree lifting 
restrictions in effect since 1967 on the practice of Confucianism. For 
the first time in over 30 years, Confucianists--mainly Indonesians 
associated with the Chinese minority--were permitted to celebrate the 
Chinese New Year publicly and to practice openly their religious 
customs.
    Iran. The Government announced that couples may register their 
marriage without declaring their religious affiliation. This is the 
first major step made by the Government toward religious freedom since 
the 1979 revolution. Members of the Baha'i community are likely to 
benefit most from the change.
    Israel. The successful March 2000 visit of the Pope contributed to 
increased religious tolerance in Israel. In March the High Court of 
Justice ruled that the Government's use of the Jewish National Fund to 
develop public land was discriminatory; that organization's bylaws 
prohibit the sale or lease of land to non-Jews. In June 2000, the 
Government proposed a plan to redress spending for non-Jewish areas, 
which was substantially below that in predominantly Jewish areas. 
Finally, harassment of Jehovah's Witnesses declined in 2000.
    Kuwait. The Government agreed to allow the Vatican to establish a 
permanent mission in the country. The Catholic Church views the 
approval as a significant development and indicative of increased 
tolerance of Christianity by the government of Kuwait.
    Latvia. The government effectively has eased visa restrictions on 
foreign missionaries. New visa regulations came into effect in July 
1999, and the Government has cooperated to resolve several difficult 
visa cases in favor of missionary workers.
    Malaysia. Charges were dropped against Muslim women who were 
arrested for being on premises where liquor is served. While it is an 
offense for a Muslim to drink liquor, it is not an offense to be in a 
place that serves liquor. The central Government strongly criticized 
the arrests.
    Netherlands. The Equal Opportunities Committee took several steps 
to reduce employment discrimination on the basis of religion. The 
Committee ruled in July 1999 that wearing headscarves for religious 
reasons may be banned only on serious grounds, such as security 
considerations. The Committee also ruled that employers must take 
account of reasonable religious demands from their employees, such as 
requests by Muslims for leave on Fridays or by Christians for leave on 
Sundays.
    Philippines. There was enhanced cooperation between Christian and 
Muslim leaders in Mindanao. This cooperation gained more publicity 
because of the upswing in violent clashes between militant Muslim 
insurgent groups and government security forces. Religious leaders hope 
to contribute to a climate of peaceful resolution of the underlying 
economic and ethnic problems in Mindanao.
    Qatar. The construction of the first Christian church in Qatar was 
approved. Previously, the Qatar authorities prohibited the public 
practice of any religion except the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam.
    Romania. Foreign religious representatives experienced less 
discrimination in the processing of visa extensions. The State 
Secretary for Religious Denominations made it much easier for religious 
associations and foundations to receive building permits. A government 
decree effective May 2000 promises to reduce substantially bureaucratic 
hindrances to the registration of religious organizations by removing 
minimum requirements for numbers of members necessary to establish 
religious associations and foundations. A law was adopted entitling 
religious denominations to reclaim by legal means property seized 
during the Communist era. Three court rulings upheld the rights of 
Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists to build places of 
worship and practice their faith. The Government sent a new, 
restrictive Draft Law on Religions to Parliament in September 1999. 
Responding to concerns by the Department of State and the international 
community, the Government formally withdrew the legislation in January 
2000. The Government currently is engaged in discussions with a wide 
range of religious representatives to formulate a new law based on 
democratic principles.
    Russia. Responding to concerns by the Department of State, one of 
Russia's regional governments decided in November 1999 to allow the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to take part in the 
official registration process. This action followed repeated denials of 
the church's petition for registration by the regional government. 
Several weeks later the Government announced that it would register all 
religious groups under their present charters, including the local 
Roman Catholic parish.
    Saudi Arabia. Government officials reaffirmed publicly, in domestic 
and international forums, e.g., at the 56th session of the U.N. 
Committee on Human Rights in April 2000, the right of non-Muslims to 
worship privately. These statements, published in the local press, 
created a greater societal awareness of the Government's decision to 
allow non-Islamic private worship. Observers note that, in spite of 
several recent actions by the Government against Christians engaged in 
private worship, non-Islamic freedom to worship privately received more 
attention and greater respect than in the past.
    Slovakia. The Government took modest steps to improve religious 
freedom through changes in primary and secondary educational 
curriculums designed to combat anti-Semitism and through a national 
conference on racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and intolerance.
    Sudan. Some religious prisoners and detainees were released, 
including Faki Koko, who allegedly was held for apostasy, Father 
Hillary Boma, and Father Lino Sebit. The Public Order Courts were 
abolished, the enforcement of public order law was relaxed, and women 
imprisoned under that law were released. Restrictions on religious 
visitors and gatherings were eased. The Government's Committee for the 
Eradication of the Abduction of Women and Children identified hundreds 
of abductees (mostly Christians or practitioners of traditional 
indigenous religions) and returned many of them to their families.
    Taiwan. The Government no longer places restrictions on registering 
new religions if they meet the legal requirements for civic 
organizations. Under the new rules, three religions were registered in 
1999. A new law allows a civilian alternative to military service for 
those who are conscientious objectors. In the past, Jehovah's Witnesses 
and other minority religious adherents were imprisoned for failing to 
follow orders while in military service.
    Tajikistan. A national referendum amended the Constitution to allow 
for religiously oriented political parties. Two representatives of one 
such party were elected to the new parliament.
    Turkey. In June 2000, Ankara's Supreme Court approved the 
establishment of a Christian foundation for a Turkish Protestant 
church.
    Ukraine. The Government revised its visa policy in May 2000, 
announcing that invitations are no longer required for visa issuance to 
citizens of the United States, Canada, the European Union (EU), and 
Japan. While the change greatly simplifies religious tourist travel to 
Ukraine, religious workers still must obtain special visas that are 
issued only by invitation. The Government continued its plan to return 
properties that had been seized during the Communist era to religious 
groups. In addition some nontraditional religious organizations 
reported an increase in government cooperation, especially in regards 
to registration. President Kuchma made a number of symbolic gestures 
promoting religious freedom. He spoke frequently and publicly about the 
need for ethnic and religious tolerance, spoke out against anti-
Semitism, and attended several high-profile religious services.
    Uzbekistan. Until August of 1999, six Christians--in cases 
receiving a high profile in the international religious press--were 
imprisoned on fabricated narcotics charges because of their religious 
activities. Also, some 20 congregations of religious believers were 
unable to register because of obstruction by local officials. Moreover, 
throughout the reporting period, the Government arrested hundreds of 
alleged members of unauthorized Islamic groups. Beginning in August 
1999, the Government responded to international diplomatic engagement 
and began to make a concerted effort to improve respect for the 
religious freedom of Christians and members of other minority religious 
groups. However, respect for unauthorized Muslim groups worsened, as 
the Government intensified its harsh campaign against such groups, 
which it perceived as a continuing security threat. There is little 
question that some devout Muslims, identified as dangerous solely 
because of their religion, were adversely affected.
    In contrast to the government's treatment of unauthorized Muslim 
groups, members of most Christian communities reported a significant 
increase in government cooperation and tolerance, although there were 
still reports of harassment by local officials against some Christian 
communities. The President pardoned the six imprisoned Christians. The 
Government also registered over 25 non-Muslim religious groups whose 
applications were blocked by local officials, including several that 
were technically below the required membership level to qualify under 
the restrictive religious freedom law. In the latter case, the groups 
were sought out and ``invited'' to register, an unprecedented show of 
goodwill.
    Finally, the Government held an international conference of experts 
to examine the shortcomings of the law on religion, indicating its 
intention to use this as a basis for corrective legislation based on 
the recommendations of the conference. On May 25, the day after the 
Ambassador at Large met with Uzbek officials, President Karimov 
suggested that the Parliament consider improvement of the religion law.
    Vietnam. Most of the serious restrictions of religious freedom in 
Vietnam remained in place. However, there was a decrease in official 
interference with religious practice, especially for officially 
recognized groups, such as Catholics and Buddhists. Most of the 
imprisoned 25 Christian Hmong church leaders were released, as were 3 
Catholic priests. Officials of the central Government demonstrated some 
willingness to investigate reports of abuses by local and provincial 
authorities and to take action against those authorities.

   Part III: U.S. Actions to Promote International Religious Freedom

    As noted in the 1998-99 report, the promotion of religious freedom 
involves far more than public airing of violations. The most productive 
work often is done behind the scenes, for a very simple reason: no 
government or nation is likely to respond positively when publicly 
rebuked.
    However, it is sometimes necessary for the United States, and the 
international community, to denounce particularly abhorrent behavior by 
another nation openly. The 1998 International Religious Freedom Act 
mandates certain actions in cases of particularly severe violations of 
religious freedom. In October 1999, the Secretary of State (acting 
under the authority of the President) designated five countries as 
``countries of particular concern'' under the Act for having engaged in 
or tolerated particularly severe violations. They are Burma, China, 
Iran, Iraq, and Sudan. In addition the Secretary identified Serbia and 
the Taliban regime of Afghanistan (not ``countries under the Act) as 
having committed particularly severe violations.
    Religious freedom is one of the fundamental human rights provided 
for in international covenants. In general the best public method of 
promoting religious freedom is to advocate the universal principles--in 
particular the inviolable dignity of the human person--that are 
nourished when religious freedom is valued and protected. This approach 
continues to be integrated into public U.S. foreign policy channels, 
through international exchanges, Worldnet and Voice of America 
broadcasts, a religious freedom web site in the home page of the 
Department of State, conferences, public opinion polling, Congressional 
hearings, and speeches and press conferences by senior U.S. foreign 
policy officials. While U.S. public diplomacy efforts will continue to 
develop, the following pages indicate some of the progress that has 
been made.
    Central to the integration of religious freedom into the fabric of 
U.S. policy is the training of U.S. officials most likely to encounter 
those persecuted because of their religious beliefs: The consular 
officer in a U.S. Embassy who interviews a refugee applicant; the U.S. 
political officer seeking information on a prisoner; the asylum 
official at a U.S. airport hearing the plea of a woman fleeing 
religious persecution, and the interpreter who must render her foreign 
tongue into English with precision and sympathy; and the U.S. 
immigration judge who must hear the case of the alien in danger of 
being returned to his country, and into harm's way, because of his 
religious beliefs.
    It is, in part, with these U.S. officials that the success or 
failure of our religious freedom policy lies. Some of their efforts are 
highlighted in the following pages; others can be found in the 
Appendices to this report, which detail efforts of the Departments of 
State and Justice to institutionalize training for their personnel in 
areas critical to promoting religious freedom abroad.
    Finally, it bears repeating that the United States seeks to promote 
religious freedom abroad, not simply to criticize, or to make 
headlines. There are many paths to this end, some of them involving the 
difficult work of scrutinizing legal documents and draft legislation, 
mastering the history and culture of diverse societies, and 
understanding religious beliefs and practices alien to our own. Some 
paths involve risk, particularly when the objective is to liberate the 
prisoner, to stop the torture, or to stay the execution. Such vital 
work usually is done out of the limelight, often without 
acknowledgement, and occasionally without knowing its result.
    But the work must, and does, take place. It happens when a Foreign 
Service Officer, sometimes at the risk of safety, presses authorities 
to know where the priest has been taken and why. It happens when an 
ambassador, while discussing with a senior official his country's 
important strategic relationship with the United States, seeks access 
to the imprisoned mufti or information on the missionary who has 
disappeared. It happens when senior U.S. officials, responsible for 
balancing and pursuing all of America's vital national interests, make 
it clear that a single persecuted human being, perhaps obscure and 
insignificant in the grand affairs of state, matters to the world's 
most powerful nation.

                           The Year in Review

    During the period covered by this report--July 1999 through June 
2000--the United States has engaged in a variety of efforts to promote 
the right of religious freedom and to oppose violations of that right. 
Its front line in pursuing these goals has been our overseas Missions--
the embassies, consulates general, and consulates of the United States. 
Frequently the Chief of Mission has led the way, as have other members 
of the country team.
    U.S. Mission efforts inevitably are centered on human rights 
officers, as well as consular officers, who serve as the eyes and ears 
of the mission in its search for information and its voice in the 
advocacy of religious freedom. Their work is facilitated by the wisdom 
and practical knowledge of local national embassy staff colleagues, 
whose contributions to international religious freedom frequently 
advance the interests of the United States. Public affairs officers 
coordinate the vital work of public diplomacy in order to present U.S. 
policy with accuracy and thoroughness. This work requires clear 
explanations both of the ``American approach'' (when asked or when 
useful) to religious freedom in the United States and of the U.S. 
practice of applying only international standards in its assessment of 
foreign governments.
    No less important is the tone and context set by senior U.S. 
officials when they speak publicly on the subject of religious freedom, 
or privately with foreign heads of government and other policy makers. 
The President, the Secretary of State, and many of her senior staff 
have addressed the issue in venues throughout the world. Within the 
United States, the Department of Justice and the Immigration and 
Naturalization Service play a critical role as the agencies responsible 
for dealing with refugees and asylum seekers who are fleeing religious 
persecution. The Department of State is responsible for training some 
officials who interview refugee applicants; the Department of Justice 
is responsible for training officials who interview both refugee and 
asylum applicants and those who adjudicate their cases (see 
Appendices).
    The fulcrum of the effort to promote religious freedom lies in a 
State Department office established in the summer of 1998 and further 
mandated by the International Religious Freedom Act--the Office of 
International Religious Freedom in the Bureau of Democracy, Human 
Rights, and Labor. The office is headed by an Ambassador at Large, 
Robert Seiple, who serves as the principal advisor to the President and 
the Secretary of State on religious freedom. As such the Ambassador at 
Large recommends U.S. policies on religious freedom abroad and oversees 
the implementation of those policies. The Ambassador has begun the task 
of integrating U.S. policy on religious freedom into the mainstream of 
U.S. foreign policy, and--at the same time--into the structure of the 
Foreign Service and the Department of State.
    The Secretary of State, through the Offices of International 
Religious Freedom and Country Reports and Asylum Affairs (both in the 
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor), is responsible for 
preparing the annual report to Congress on the status of religious 
freedom worldwide. In carrying out this task, the Bureau draws on U.S. 
mission reporting, visits by the Ambassador at Large and his staff to 
individual countries, participation in multilateral meetings and 
conferences, and on evidence provided by religious and human rights 
nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), religious organizations and 
individuals. Monitoring and reporting are also guided by the 
recommendations and annual report of the U.S. Commission on 
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) established in the 1998 Act.
    The following section summarizes some of the many efforts 
undertaken by various elements of the U.S. Government's foreign policy 
community to promote religious freedom. It is by no means exhaustive, 
but it endeavors to provide by way of example a realistic portrait of 
U.S. actions. Further details may be found in the individual country 
reports.
    The following acronyms are used in the text: IRF, International 
Religious Freedom, and USCIRF, U.S. Commission on International 
Religious Freedom.
    Armenia. In September 1999, embassy officials met with the Military 
Prosecutor to discuss, among other topics, hazing of minority 
conscripts and the status of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Embassy also 
maintains regular contact with traveling regional representatives of 
foreign-based religious groups like the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses 
and raises their concerns with Armenian officials.
    Austria. The Ambassador and other members of the Embassy met 
regularly with religious and political leaders to reinforce the U.S. 
Government's commitment to religious freedom and tolerance. They have 
met repeatedly with the leader of the Jewish community in Austria and 
the head of the Lutheran church in Burgenland regarding the threats 
against them and their concerns about the new Government. Following 
these threats, the Ambassador met with Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel to 
convey the concerns of the U.S. Government. The Ambassador also raised 
concerns about a government Minister's intentions to enhance the role 
of the office on sects. In May 2000, the Ambassador participated in the 
annual commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust at Matthausen 
concentration camp. She followed this with a speech on diversity and 
tolerance at a program for second-generation immigrants. In April the 
Ambassador hosted an event at the residence featuring Congressman Tom 
Lantos, a Holocaust survivor. This included members of the government, 
religious leaders, and other opinion makers. It focused on religious 
and racial tolerance, including a screening of a documentary on 
holocaust survivors. In February the Ambassador hosted a benefit 
conference to raise money for the renovation of St. Stephen's 
cathedral, at which she focused on ecumenical partnerships to combat 
intolerance. Following a December 1999 unveiling of a statue 
symbolizing tolerance, the Ambassador hosted a reception for government 
officials and representatives from NGO's concerned with minorities, 
tolerance, and issues of genocide prevention.
    In addition, in June 2000, Ambassador Seiple testified before House 
International Relations Committee about religious freedom issues in 
Austria, including concerns about the Government's information campaign 
against religious groups that it considers harmful to the interests of 
individuals and society.
    Afghanistan. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated the 
Taliban regime, which controls most of Afghanistan as a ``country of 
particular concern'' under the International Religious Freedom Act for 
particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    Azerbaijan. U.S. engagement was significant in the fall of 1999 in 
response to a crackdown on religious activity by government officials. 
After police broke up a Baptist service in Baku and detained 60 
congregants, on September 5, embassy officials were called by local 
worshipers to meet with detainees, police, and security officials at 
the police station. Throughout the ensuing week, embassy officers 
attended court hearings for two Azerbaijani pastors and eight 
foreigners arrested as a result of the police action. Other religious 
groups quickly reported similar incidents of harassment, and the 
Embassy carefully pursued each report with those groups and with the 
central Government. Throughout the fall, the Embassy maintained regular 
contact with government officials and local religious groups to monitor 
the situation and promote a resolution consistent with the country's 
constitutional standards of religious freedom. In addition, in October 
1999, an IRF office staff member visited the country to express U.S. 
concern to the Government and to the local groups affected by the 
arrests and harassment.
    The U.S. Ambassador met with the Ministers of Interior, Justice, 
and National Security, as well as the Prosecutor General, to express 
U.S. Government concerns over this pattern of incidents, characterizing 
them as violations of standards of religious freedom of the 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well as 
of the Azerbaijani constitution. On November 3, Ambassador Escudero 
personally delivered a letter from several Congressmen to President 
Aliyev expressing concern over the incidents. On November 8, President 
Aliyev publicly reiterated his country's full commitment to 
constitutional and OSCE standards of religious freedom and ordered his 
government to resolve immediately all reported problems.
    Belarus. On April 13, the Ambassador sent a letter to the governor 
of the Brest Oblast and the Ministry of Foreign affairs urging a 
resolution of the conflict concerning Catholic priest Zbeigniew 
Karoljak, following a meeting in Brest with Karoljak's parishioners.
    Belgium. Embassy officers met with high-level government officials 
and conducted active measures to assist in resolving outstanding 
complaints of religious discrimination. In June 2000, Ambassador Seiple 
testified before the House International Relations Committee about 
religious freedom issues, including the Belgian Government's policy 
towards ``sects'' and the creation of a ``Center for Information and 
Advice on Harmful Sectarian Organizations.''
    Bosnia and Herzegovina. In March 2000, Ambassador Seiple visited 
Bosnia and Herzegovina and met with Government officials, NGO's, and 
religious leaders to discuss religious freedom issues.
    Bulgaria. The Ambassador, embassy officers, and visiting State 
Department officials met with a diverse cross-section of relevant 
government officials and Members of Parliament to advocate a liberal 
approach to religious freedom under a new law on religion. In March an 
IRF officer visited Sofia to meet with NGO's and with embassy officers 
regarding the draft law. Embassy officers have kept in close touch with 
human rights and religious groups to remain attuned to their concerns 
about the proposed law. The U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE raised this 
point with Bulgaria's OSCE ambassador, and the State Department also 
raised this issue in the context of the Stability Pact. Embassy 
officers have met with Orthodox clergy from both sides of the schism, 
with the chief mufti of the Muslim community, with religious and lay 
leaders of the Jewish community, as well as with the leaders of 
numerous Protestant denominations.
    Burma. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated Burma a 
country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom 
Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    Since 1988 a primary objective of U.S. Government policy has been 
to promote increased respect for human rights, including the right to 
freedom of religion. The United States discontinued bilateral aid to 
the Government, suspended the issuance of licenses to export arms to 
Burma, suspended the Generalized System of Preferences for Burma, 
suspended tariff preference for imports of Burmese origin, and 
suspended Export-Import Bank financial services in support of U.S. 
exports to Burma. The U.S. Government also has not provided any 
Overseas Private Investment Corporation financial services in support 
of U.S. investment in Burma, suspended active promotion of trade with 
Burma, suspended issuance of visas to high government officials and 
their immediate family members, banned new investment by U.S. firms, 
opposed all assistance to the Government by international financial 
institutions, and urged the governments of other countries to take 
similar actions.
    The U.S. Government actively supported the decision of the 
International Labor Organization (ILO), in June 1999, to suspend the 
Government of Burma from participation in ILO programs, based in part 
on an August 1998 ILO Commission of Inquiry report that the Government 
systematically used forced labor for a wide range of civilian and 
military purposes.
    The U.S. Embassy has promoted religious freedom in the overall 
context of its promotion of human rights generally in numerous contacts 
with government officials (both informally and through repeated formal 
demarches), as well as to the public, to representatives of the 
governments of other countries and of international organizations, to 
international media representatives, to scholars, and to 
representatives of U.S. and international businesses. Embassy staff 
members met repeatedly with leaders of Buddhist, Christian, and Islamic 
religious groups, members of the faculties of schools of theology, and 
other religious-affiliated organizations and NGO's as part of their 
reporting and public diplomacy activities.
    China. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated China as 
a country of particular concern under the International Religious 
Freedom Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    The U.S. Embassy and consulates collected information about abuses 
and maintained contacts in China's religious communities with a wide 
spectrum of religious leaders including bishops, priests, ministers of 
the official Christian churches, and Taoist and Buddhist leaders. 
Embassy officials continued, for example, to seek clarification about 
the status of Roman Catholic Bishop Su Zhimin. On numerous occasions, 
senior U.S. Government officials in Washington and in China protested 
government actions taken against Falun Gong followers, including the 
temporary detention of thousands of adherents in July 1999 and the 
sentencing of four group leaders later in that year. In May 2000, 
senior embassy officers urged the Chinese to release Pastor Xu Yongze, 
whose ``reeducation through labor'' sentence expired in March 2000. 
Consulate Guangzhou officers also protested to local officials the 
detention and harassment of Pastor Li Dexian. State Department 
officials met with senior Chinese Embassy officers in Washington to 
protest the January detention of Roman Catholic Bishop Yang Shudao. 
Diplomatic personnel also traveled to Tibet to monitor conditions, 
including the status of religious freedom. Cases raised by the Embassy 
include those of Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the boy recognized by the Dalai 
Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama; Abbot Chadrel Rinpoche; Ngawang 
Sangdrol; and other Tibetan monks and nuns. Other embassy officers 
raised specific cases in meetings with officials from the Religious 
Affairs Bureau and the United Front Work Department.
    The Department of State sent Chinese religious leaders and scholars 
to the United States on international visitor programs to see first 
hand the role that religion plays in the United States.
    The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom took a 
number of actions during the reporting period to express its concerns 
about religious freedom in China. These included: A press release 
noting increasing religious persecution in China--including cases of 
persecution of Muslim Uighurs; public calls on the Chinese Government 
to end persecution of Falun Gong adherents; urging Chinese cooperation 
with the Vatican in naming Catholic bishops; and testimony before the 
Congressional Human Rights Caucus, the House Ways and Means Committee, 
the House International Relations Committee, and the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee.
    In October 1999, Ambassador Seiple testified before the House 
International Relations Committee and in May 2000 before the Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee concerning the religious freedom of Tibetan 
Buddhists and the Christian and Muslim communities in China. In March 
2000, Ambassador Seiple, accompanied by Rabbi David Saperstein, 
Chairman of the Commission on International Religious Freedom, held 
bilateral meetings at the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, 
seeking support for the U.S.-proposed resolution criticizing China's 
human rights record, including its religious freedom practices.
    Cuba. The U.S. Interests Section supported various religious 
leaders and communities in the country and supported NGO initiatives 
that aid religious groups. The U.S. Government regularly sought to 
facilitate the issuance of licenses for travel by religious persons and 
for donated goods and materials. The U.S. Interests Section raised 
issues of human rights, including religious discrimination and 
harassment, with government officials. However, the government 
dismissed these concerns. The Interests Section reported on cases of 
religious discrimination and harassment, and the U.S. government 
continuously urged international pressure on the Cuban government to 
cease its repressive practices.
    Czech Republic. The Embassy, the Department of State, and the U.S. 
Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad devoted 
considerable efforts beginning in December 1999 to facilitate a 
mutually acceptable settlement of the longstanding dispute over a 
medieval Jewish cemetery (believed to be the oldest in the Czech 
Republic) in downtown Prague.
    Egypt. The U.S. Embassy maintained an active dialog with the 
leaders of the Christian and Muslim religious communities, human rights 
groups, and other activists and has investigated every complaint of 
religious discrimination brought to its attention. The Embassy 
discussed religious freedom issues with other groups, including 
academics, businessmen, and lower-income citizens. The Embassy worked 
to strengthen civil society, including training for nongovernmental 
groups that promote religious tolerance and provided training to 
Egyptian police in human rights practices and community policing 
techniques.
    In March 2000, an NGO service center funded by the U.S. Agency for 
International Development (USAID) began operating to provide training 
and technical assistance to local NGO's. The Embassy nominated 
participants interested in advocacy for the International Visitor 
Program and invited U.S. specialists in this subject as part of the 
State Department's speakers program. Other embassy initiatives included 
activities designed to strengthen the rule of law and promote civic 
education. The public affairs section of the Embassy supported the 
development of materials that encourage tolerance, diversity, and 
understanding of others, in both Arabic-language and English-language 
curriculums.
    USAID, in collaboration with the Children's Television Workshop, 
developed an Egyptian version of the television program Sesame Street, 
which is designed to reach isolated households and to promote 
tolerance. The show was scheduled for airing beginning in the summer of 
2000. USAID also supported private voluntary organizations that are 
implementing innovative curriculums in private schools. The public 
affairs section of the Embassy spearheaded an effort to increase the 
professionalism of the press, with an emphasis on balanced and 
responsible coverage. Finally, USAID worked with the Supreme Council of 
Antiquities to promote the conservation of cultural antiquities, 
including Islamic, Christian, and Jewish historical sites.
    Eritrea. The Ambassador and other embassy officers raised the 
special case of Jehovah's Witnesses with government officials in the 
President's office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the High Court, 
the Ministry of Justice, in media interviews, and in the State 
Department's human rights report. The Assistant Secretary of State for 
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor also raised the issue with the 
Eritrean Ambassador.
    France. In October 1999, Ambassador Seiple and an IRF officer 
visited France and met with government officials, NGO's, and religious 
leaders to discuss religious freedom issues. In addition, in June 2000, 
Ambassador Seiple testified before the House International Relations 
Committee regarding religious freedom issues in France, including 
concerns about the creation of the ``sect lists.''
    Germany. The U.S. Government has expressed its concerns over 
allegations of infringement of individual rights because of religious 
affiliation and over the potential for discrimination in international 
trade posed by the screening of foreign firms for possible Scientology 
affiliation. U.S. government officials discussed with state and federal 
German authorities U.S. concerns about the violation of individual 
rights posed by the use of declarations of Scientology affiliation. 
U.S. officials frequently made the point that the use of such 
``filters'' to prevent persons from practicing their professions, 
solely based on their beliefs, is an abuse of their rights, as well as 
a discriminatory business practice. In June 2000, Ambassador Seiple 
testified before the House International Relations Committee about the 
treatment of German Scientologists and the use of ``filters.''
    India. The U.S. Embassy continued to promote religious freedom 
through contact with the country's senior leadership, as well as with 
state and local officials. The Embassy and consulates regularly report 
on events and trends that affect religious freedom.
    During his state visit, President Clinton spoke about the massacre 
of Sikhs in Kashmir on March 20, 2000, and called for an end to the 
violence. In August and September 1999, the U.S. Consul in Chennai 
expressed concern to Kerala state government officials about the status 
of Father Anthony Raymond Ceresko's visa application to the chief 
secretary of Karnataka and about the the cancellation of the conference 
of the Anglican Church (see Section I). In January 2000, Senator Tom 
Daschle and his delegation raised the issue of religious minorities 
with Home Minister L.K. Advani during a visit to New Delhi. In February 
a representative of the State Department discussed minority issues with 
the National Human Rights Commission in New Delhi. On June 23, 2000, 
the U.S. Ambassador noted to the press that attacks against Christians 
are a serious concern.
    Embassy officers meet with religious officials to monitor religious 
freedom on a regular basis. U.S. embassy officers traveled to Gujarat 
and Uttar Pradesh to assess the situation of religious minorities in 
those states. Embassy and consulate officials maintained contact with 
senior leaders of all minority communities. The Embassy also maintains 
contacts with U.S. residents, including those in the NGO and missionary 
communities. The NGO community is extremely active with regard to 
religious freedom, and embassy officers meet with local NGO's to obtain 
information on religious freedom developments.
    Indonesia. The U.S. Government publicly expressed concern regarding 
the intercommunal violence that occurred in various parts of the 
country. U.S. statements urged the Government to take all necessary 
measures to prevent bloodshed; to take action against those who 
initiate violence, while adhering to international standards for the 
protection of human rights; and to resolve their differences through 
dialog and negotiation.
    With respect to the violence between Christian and Muslim 
communities in the Moluccas and elsewhere, President Clinton and other 
senior government officials raised their concerns with their Indonesian 
counterparts on numerous occasions.
    The Ambassador and embassy officers routinely conveyed to 
government officials at all levels the U.S. view that religious freedom 
must be respected and fostered. In addition the Ambassador and embassy 
officers regularly met with leaders of religious communities and 
traveled widely throughout the country to keep abreast of developments 
affecting religious freedom.
    The public affairs section of the Embassy funded the travel of 
several persons under the International Visitor Program, as well as 
exchange visitors, who studied human rights and religion in the United 
States, among other topics. They included religious and student leaders 
and legal activists from Aceh, Papua, East Timor, and other locations. 
The Fulbright Commission in Indonesia funded one senior U.S. scholar to 
teach comparative religion at the State Islamic Institute (IAIN) in 
Jakarta and a senior U.S. scholar-researcher who studied and taught the 
role of women in Koranic verse at the same institution.
    The U.S. Government also provided significant funding for NGO's 
that implement projects to promote religious tolerance in various parts 
of the country.
    The Commission on International Religious Freedom took a number of 
actions during the reporting period to express its concern about 
religious freedom in the country. These included publicly calling on 
the Government in January 2000 to restore order in the Malukus after 
outbreaks of Muslim-Christian strife; Commissioner Archbishop Theodre 
McCarrick's visit to East Timor and Jakarta in February; and the 
Commission's July public expression of ``deep concerns'' about 
religious violence.
    Iran. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated Iran as a 
country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom 
Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    President Clinton made a number of statements regarding the 
treatment of Iranian religious minorities. The statements included one 
criticizing the execution of Ruhollah Rowhani, a member of the Baha'i 
Faith, in June 1998 and a statement calling on the Government to 
exonerate 13 members of the Jewish community arrested in June 1999. The 
Secretary of State also called on the Government to release and drop 
charges against the 13 Jews, 10 of whom were still in prison as of June 
2000. In February the USCIRF publicly called for the nullification of 
death sentences for three Baha'is in Mashdad.
    Iraq. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated Iraq as a 
country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom 
Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    Israel. In December 1999, Ambassador Seiple visited Israel and met 
with Government officials, NGO's, religious leaders, and others to 
discuss a number of religious freedom issues including allegations of 
persecution of Christians, intrareligious conflicts in the Jewish 
community, and the concerns of the Islamic community.
    Jordan. In February 2000, Congressman Charles Canady forwarded a 
letter signed by 63 Members of Congress to King Abdullah, encouraging 
the Government to grant Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary's 
(JETS) request for registration with the Ministry of Education. In 
April 2000, Ambassador Seiple and members of the IRF office traveled to 
Jordan and met with religious leaders and officials regarding 
government delays in the registration of JETS. Ambassador Seiple also 
met with Queen Rania, who heads a new royal Human Rights Commission, 
and with Prince Hassan to promote interfaith dialog.
    Kazakhstan. In May 2000, Ambassador Seiple visited Kazakhstan and 
met with government officials, NGO's and religious leaders. Government 
officials were receptive to Ambassador Seiple's offers of assistance in 
drafting the drafting of new religious legislation.
    Laos. During his second visit in February 2000, Ambassador Seiple 
presided at a group meeting of religious leaders and officials where he 
emphasized the importance of religious freedom. Although the presence 
of government officials did not encourage frank dialog, the meeting was 
unprecedented and produced demarches to the Government. Ambassador 
Seiple met on several occasions with the Laotian Ambassador.
    Lebanon. In April 2000, Ambassador Seiple visited Lebanon and 
discussed Islamic-Christian dialog with local lawyers and activists.
    Nigeria. In July 2000, the USCIRF expressed publicly its ``deep 
concerns'' about religious violence in the country.
    Pakistan. On an informal basis, the Embassy has assisted some 
Christian-affiliated relief organizations in guiding paperwork through 
government channels. The Embassy also assisted local and international 
human rights organizations in following up on specific cases involving 
religious minorities. In meetings with cabinet officials and National 
Security Council members, the Ambassador raised the issues of the 
blasphemy laws, separate electorates for minorities, and the seeming 
impunity with which sectarian groups operated. The Embassy assisted 
with other high-level visits--including that of four senators led by 
Senator Thomas Daschle, a delegation led by Senator Sam Brownback, and 
a congressional staff delegation--which raised religious freedom issues 
with senior officials.
    The Embassy also conducted a number of public diplomacy programs on 
religious issues (e.g. ``Islam in America'' on Worldnet) designed to 
promote interfaith harmony and understanding. Expressions of concern 
over the blasphemy laws by the Embassy, together with the human rights 
community and other U.S. agencies, contributed to government efforts to 
implement administrative changes in application of the laws.
    Ambassador Seiple and an IRF office staff member visited Pakistan 
during the reporting period. They met with government officials, NGO's, 
and religious leaders to discuss religious freedom issues.
    Poland. One embassy officer devotes the vast majority of his time 
to questions of Polish/Jewish relations. The Embassy and Consulate 
General worked to facilitate the protection and return of former Jewish 
cemeteries throughout the country and to play a continuing role in 
ongoing efforts to establish an international foundation to oversee 
restitution of Jewish communal property.
    The public affairs sections of the Embassy and the Consulate in 
Krakow provided continuing support for activities designed to promote 
cultural and religious tolerance. Such activities included a digital 
videoconference linking young Poles with U.S. participants in the March 
of the Living; a 2-week voluntary visitor program for senior 
administrators at the Auschwitz-Birkenau state museum; and ongoing 
press and public affairs support for the Auschwitz Jewish Center 
Foundation and its project to renovate the last remaining synagogue in 
Oswiecim.
    Romania. U.S. embassy officials have lobbied consistently with 
government officials for fair treatment on property restitution issues, 
including religious and communal properties. The Embassy has a core 
group of officers who focus on fostering good ethnic relations, 
including relations between religious groups. The Embassy lobbied 
against a draft religion bill and encouraged other Western embassies 
and religious groups in Romania to do likewise. Secretary Albright also 
raised the issue with the Foreign Minister. The bill eventually was 
withdrawn in February 2000, following which Ambassador Seiple and 
USCIRF Chairman Saperstein visited Bucharest in March 2000 to confirm 
the Government's position and discourage attempts to resurrect the law.
    Russia. The Ambassador publicly and strongly criticized the attack 
on Jewish leader Leopold Kaymovskiy and the attempted bombing of the 
Bolshaya Bronnaya Synagogue, calling on the Government to investigate 
these crimes vigorously.
    The Embassy in Moscow and the Consulates General in Yekaterinburg, 
St. Petersburg, and Vladivostok actively investigated reports of 
violations of religious freedom, including anti-Semitic incidents. 
Embassy officials at the Chief of Mission level discussed religious 
freedom with high-ranking officials in the presidential administration, 
Government, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs approximately every 6 
weeks, raising specific cases of concern. Federal officials have 
responded by investigating those cases and keeping embassy staff 
informed on issues they have raised.
    Embassy representatives maintained close contact with Jewish 
leaders throughout the aftermath of two crises. After the attempted 
bombing of a synagogue, the Embassy's regional security officer also 
visited two other Lubavitcher synagogues to advise them on physical 
security. The Embassy closely followed and reported on the progress of 
the amendment to the 1997 religion law and related Constitutional Court 
rulings. The Embassy played a role in resolving registration problems 
of two religious groups in Samara and in Tatarstan and maintains 
contact with Tatarstan authorities in an effort to resolve a third 
case. As implementation of the 1997 religion law continues, the Embassy 
maintains semiweekly contact with working-level officials at the 
Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In May 2000, an 
embassy official attended a 4-day religion law seminar hosted by the 
Russian State Academy for Public Service, consulted with Russian and 
foreign religion law experts on the seminar results, and also met with 
representatives of religious groups at a subsequent briefing organized 
by the Esther Legal Information Center.
    The 1997 law on religious freedom was the subject of numerous high-
level communications between members of the U.S. executive branch and 
the Russian Government, involving the President, the Vice President, 
the Secretary of State, and other senior U.S. officials. For example, 
at the U.S.-Russia Summit held in Moscow on June 10-11, 2000, President 
Clinton discussed religious freedom in his meetings with President 
Putin and other government officials. On September 14, 1999, the 
Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for the New Independent 
States, Ambassador at Large Stephen Sestanovich, cochaired a roundtable 
meeting with representatives of religious communities at the State 
Department together with Senator Gordon Smith, Ambassador Seiple, and 
an National Security Council (NSC) Senior Director. On April 13, 2000, 
Ambassador Sestanovich cochaired another roundtable discussion on 
religious freedom in Russia with Senator Smith, Ambassador Seiple, and 
an NSC Senior Director.
    In February 2000, Ambassador Seiple testified before the Helsinki 
Commission about the 1997 law. In addition he addressed the harassment 
of Muslims stemming from the Caucasus conflict and the case of Reverend 
Dan Pollard in Khabarovsk Krai. In May 2000, Ambassador Seiple 
testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee expressing 
concerns about the 1997 law and other religious freedom issues in 
Russia.
    The USCIRF took a number of actions during the reporting period to 
express publicly its concern about religious freedom in Russia. These 
included: In December 1999, the Commission noted that the war in 
Chechnya was fed by religious bigotry; in May 2000, the Commission 
testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House 
International Relations Committee.
    Saudi Arabia. An embassy officer held meetings during October, 
November, December, February, and March with Philippine embassy 
staffers during the period of detention and deportation of persons 
suspected of involvement with Christian proselytizing groups. On March 
5 embassy officers conducted a meeting with and delivered a demarche on 
religious freedom to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs official in charge 
of human rights, including freedom of religion. In May 2000, senior 
embassy officers and the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for 
International Organizations, David Welch, held a meeting with the 
Assistant Deputy Foreign Minister regarding religious freedom and human 
rights issues. Also in May, a meeting was held with Foreign Minister 
Saud al-Faisal that included Assistant Secretary Welch and an embassy 
officer regarding religious freedom and human rights issues. The 
Embassy held another meeting in May with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs official in charge of human rights, which included discussions 
of freedom of religion. Ambassador Seiple also visited Saudi Arabia 
during the reporting period to discuss a range of religious freedom 
issues with government officials.
    Serbia-Montenegro. In October 1999, the Secretary of State 
designated the Milosevic Government of Serbia as a ``country of 
particular concern'' under the International Religious Freedom Act for 
particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    In the summer of 1999 and again in February 2000, Secretary of 
State Albright met with Bishop Artemije, head of the Serbian Orthodox 
Church in Kosovo, who expressed concern about the safety of the Serbs 
still living in Kosovo. During visits to Kosovo in July and November 
1999, the Secretary delivered strong messages of ethnic tolerance in 
Kosovo. President Clinton also appealed for tolerance in the region on 
his visit in November 1999. U.S. Kosovo Force peacekeeping troops have 
worked to prevent ethnic and religious violence and have guarded some 
religious sites. The U.S. is involved actively in the U.N. Mission in 
Kosovo, the interim administration, which is aimed at securing peace, 
facilitating refugee return and reconstruction, laying the foundations 
for democratic selfgovernment in the province, and fostering respect 
for human rights regardless of ethnicity or religion. In Montenegro the 
U.S. Government has provided significant support and assistance to the 
reform-oriented republic government, which also seeks to ensure respect 
for human rights, including religious freedom.
    In May 2000, an IRF office staff member visited Kosovo to address 
religious freedom issues, including protection of minority populations 
and places of worship.
    Sudan. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated Sudan as 
a country of particular concern under the International Religious 
Freedom Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    In May 2000, Ambassador Seiple testified before the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee and expressed concern about the significant 
religious dimension of government forces targeting the mostly 
indigenous and Christian southern population. The USCIRF took a number 
of actions during the reporting period to express publicly its concern 
about religious freedom in Sudan. These included: In January 2000, 
Commission member Elliot Abrams visited Sudan; in February the 
Commission held hearings in Washington; in May the Commission testified 
before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House 
International Relations Committee; and in July the Commission noted 
ongoing severe religious freedom violations in Sudan.
    Turkey. In December 1999, Ambassador Seiple visited Turkey and met 
with Government officials, NGO's, and religious leaders to discuss 
religious freedom issues.
    Turkmenistan. In May 2000 the Ambassador raised the issue of the 
onerous registration requirements with the Deputy Chairman of the 
Council on Religious Affairs. In November 1999, the Ambassador and 
other embassy officials went to the site of the destruction of the 
SeventhDay Adventist Church to condemn the decision of the Government 
to tear down the church. Embassy officials assisted the congregation in 
removing some of its religious materials from the church for storage 
elsewhere. In July 1999, an embassy officer attempted to attend the 
trial of Shageldy Atakov but was not allowed into the courtroom. In 
September and December 1999, embassy officers met with the head of 
President Niyazov's Institute for Democracy and Human Rights and 
members of the Council on Religious Affairs to press for reducing the 
onerous registration requirements for minority religions. In the course 
of a discussion with the Foreign Minister on U.S.-Turkmen relations in 
December 1999, the Charge raised the issue of religious freedom and 
prisoners of conscience and urged that the latter be included in an 
upcoming presidential amnesty. In October 1999, a USCIRF Commissioner 
visited Turkmenistan and in March 2000 testified before the U.S. 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. In May 2000, 
Ambassador Seiple and an IRF office staff member met with government 
officials and religious leaders to discuss how to make progress in the 
registration of religious groups.
    Ukraine. Since most religious freedom problems in the country stem 
from the relationship between foreign missionaries of nonnative 
religions and local authorities, and most of the foreign missionaries--
approximately 55 percent--working in the country today are U.S. 
citizens, the Embassy has intervened as necessary to defend their 
interests. Responding to complaints by the missionaries that Ukrainian 
embassies and consulates were not issuing religious worker visas, the 
consular section raised the importance of honoring visa reciprocity in 
several 1999-2000 meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These 
meetings did not result in tangible improvements in the Government's 
visa practices toward prospective religious workers; however, the 
Embassy plans to continue to stress the issue with the Ministry of 
Foreign affairs. During meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
the Embassy repeatedly recommended eliminating the Soviet-era 
requirement for an invitation to receive a Ukrainian visa. As of May 
2000, invitations were no longer required for citizens of the U.S., 
Canada, the EU, and Japan, a change that will benefit religious 
workers.
    The U.S. Government also has been active in advocating just 
restitution of religious property confiscated by the Nazi and Communist 
regimes. Embassy officers raised the issue in a February 2000 meeting 
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ambassador stressed the 
importance of a transparent and nondiscriminatory process for property 
restitution at the May 2000 meeting of the joint U.S.-Ukraine Cultural 
Heritage Commission in Kiev. A U.S. Commissioner and the Deputy 
Minister of Culture agreed to cooperate on drafting legislation that 
would prohibit construction and privatization on previous and current 
cemeteries of all religious denominations. The Embassy assisted in the 
April 2000 renewal of the Ukraine-Israel student exchange agreement 
which governs the actions of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAI) in the 
country. An embassy officer met with the Director General of the JAI, 
Aaron Abramovich, in August 1999. The Ambassador raised the issue in a 
September 1999 meeting with presidential foreign policy advisor 
Anatoliy Orel and Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Chaliy. The 
Ambassador also discussed the issue with Abramovich in a January 2000 
meeting. The Ambassador and his deputy raised the issue during meetings 
with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Embassy officers discussed the 
issue several times with the Israeli Embassy: a meeting was held with 
the Israeli Embassy in February 2000 to discuss renewal of the 
Agreement. The Embassy places a high priority on monitoring anti-
Semitism and maintaining close relations with local Jewish 
organizations. In August 1999, the Embassy hosted a meeting of Jewish 
community leaders with Senator Arlen Specter. Two embassy officers and 
a representative of the State Department's Office of Religious Freedom 
attended the October 1999 induction ceremony of Rabbi Alexander 
Dukhovny as the progressive rabbi of all Ukraine. Embassy officers also 
attended the March 2000 rededication of the Kiev grand synagogue. An 
embassy officer held regular meetings with a variety of Jewish 
community representatives.
    In October 1999, the NSC Director for Russian, Ukrainian, and 
Eurasian Affairs met with representatives of religious organizations in 
Kiev to discuss religious freedom and property restitution. An IRF 
office staff member also visited Ukraine to address religious freedom 
issues.
    Uzbekistan. The Ambassador delivered a speech calling for improved 
respect for religious freedom at the Ombudsman's February 29 roundtable 
on amending the religion law. The Ambassador and other embassy officers 
raised issues of religious freedom on at least 10 occasions in meetings 
with the Foreign Minister and other government officials, as well as in 
the context of the U.S.-Uzbek human rights working group. An embassy 
officer regularly discussed religious freedom with the deputy director 
of the Committee on Religious Affairs in the Cabinet of Ministers. 
There are no registered nongovernmental organizations in the country 
that deal specifically with issues of religious freedom. An embassy 
officer maintains regular contact with religious leaders and 
unregistered human rights activists on these and other issues.
    The U.S. congressional chief of staff of the Commission for 
Security and cooperation in Europe, along with several staff members, 
held a series of meetings in Tashkent with Uzbek officials in December 
1999. Issues of religious freedom were a prominent part of the agenda. 
In February 2000, the Assistant to the Special Adviser to the Secretary 
of State for the Newly Independent States gave a major address on 
religious freedom at the Tashkent University for World Economy and 
Diplomacy. Together with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for 
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, he discussed the religion law and 
issues of religious freedom with Uzbek officials, religious leaders, 
and human rights activists. The Deputy Assistant Secretary held 
additional separate meetings on these topics with both officials and 
activists. The Secretary of State met with President Karimov in 
Tashkent in April 2000, and raised U.S. concerns on these issues, 
particularly calling for amendments to the religion law. During her 
visit, the Secretary also visited Muslim and Jewish places of worship. 
The Deputy Assistant Secretary returned with the Secretary's party in 
April 2000 to follow up on his previous meetings with a separate series 
of discussions with Uzbek officials. He also met with the families of 
victims of the repression of independent Muslims as well as with human 
rights activists.
    Ambassador Seiple and IRF office staff met with the Uzbek 
ambassador in July and August 1999 to encourage improvement in the 
Government's respect for religious freedom. Ambassador Seiple and staff 
members visited the country and met with foreign ministry and other 
officials in May 2000 to press for progress in amending the religion 
law, improved treatment of imprisoned Muslims, and tolerance with 
regard to proselytism. He also met with religious leaders of minority 
faiths, including the Russian Orthodox Church, with the families of 
victims of the repression of independent Muslims, and with human rights 
activists.
    Vietnam. The Ambassador raised religious freedom issues with senior 
cabinet ministers including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, 
senior government and communist party advisors, the head of the 
Government's office on religion, deputy ministers of foreign affairs 
and public security, and the chairperson of provincial people's 
committees around the country.
    Embassy officers informed government officials that progress on 
religious issues and human rights has an effect on the degree of full 
normalization of bilateral relations. The Embassy's public affairs 
officer distributed information about U.S. concerns about religious 
freedom to Communist Party and government officials. In their 
representations to the Government, the Ambassador and other embassy 
officers urged that recognition of religious groups be spread more 
broadly to other groups of peaceful religious believers, such as 
members of the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam and the Protestant 
house churches.
    In general, representations by the Embassy and Consulate have 
focused on specific restrictions of religious freedom. These issues 
include detention and arrest of religious figures and restrictions on 
church organizational activities, such as training religious leaders, 
ordination, church building, and the foreign travel of religious 
figures. In several cases, the Embassy's and the Consulate's 
interventions on issues of religious freedom have resulted in 
improvements. The release of several religious prisoners during 
amnesties in 1999 and 2000 followed long-term and direct advocacy on 
their behalf by the Embassy. Releases of some 20 Hmong Protestants 
detained in 1999 by authorities in Lai Chau province followed advocacy 
by the Embassy. One foreign NGO told the U.S. Embassy that officials in 
Lai Chau had complained that, following the visit of the Ambassador to 
the province in the spring of 1999, during which he had presented a 
list of Hmong religious prisoners, the provincial officials had been 
told by Hanoi authorities to ease up on their treatment of the Hmong. 
An embassy officer visited Unified Bhuddist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) 
Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Guang in Guang Ngai province in December 
1999, his first visit from a Westerner in 18 years. Following the 
visit, Thich Huyen Guang was featured on national television for the 
first time in years, was moved from his pagoda during flooding (unlike 
the previous year), and received improved medical care. On several 
occasions, embassy and consulate officers met with prominent religious 
prisoners after their release from prison. Consulate General Ho Chi 
Minh City officers maintained an ongoing dialog with Thich Guang Do and 
other UBCV monks, with officially recognized Buddhists, and also 
maintained wide contacts within the Catholic, Protestant, Hoa Hao, Cao 
Dai, and Muslim communities. In March the USCIRF publicly condemned the 
Government of Vietnam for its interference in a Hoa Hao commemoration. 
A Consulate General officer attended the first officially recognized 
Hoa Hao festival in Giang in July. Consulate General and embassy 
officials worked closely with Assemblies of God Pastor Tran Dinh 
``Paul'' Ai to obtain a passport and then a religious worker's visa to 
go to the United States, following months of ongoing harassment by the 
police.
    In July 1999, Ambassador Seiple visited Vietnam for discussions 
with officials and leaders of several religious bodies. He raised U.S. 
concerns about expanding conditions of religious freedom with officials 
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government Committee on 
Religion, and other government offices.
    Other Actions: U.S. Government efforts included actions that were 
not specific to individual countries. Selected examples include: The 
Secretary of State's speech on May 4, 2000, in Washington to the 
American Jewish Committee; the Secretary's hosting of a December 21, 
1999 ``Iftaar'' Dinner with American Muslim groups at the State 
Department; and President Clinton's frequent remarks on the status of 
religious freedom, especially in such countries as Vietnam, Russia, 
China, India, Pakistan, and other countries.
    The Office of International Religious Freedom hosted in May 1999 a 
conference in Washington on ``Religion and Foreign Policy;'' attended a 
U.S. Catholic Conference Bishops' International Policy Meeting to 
explain the administration's concerns about religious freedom issues; 
participated in a review of the USCIRF's first report by the Institute 
on Religion and Public Policy; and met with dozens of religious groups 
from many different countries who were concerned about persecution or 
discrimination. In October 1999 and March 2000, Ambassador Seiple and 
members of his staff visited the Vatican to discuss religious freedom 
issues. The Office continued its program of outreach to the U.S. Muslim 
community and has plans to expand the program to other religious 
communities. It also continued its support of NGO-managed 
reconciliation programs in Lebanon and Indonesia.
                                 AFRICA

                              ----------                              


                                 ANGOLA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    The Government does not require religious groups to register. 
Colonial era statutes banned all non-Christian religious groups from 
Angola; while those statutes still exist, they are no longer in effect.
Religious Demography
    Christianity is the religion of the vast majority of the country's 
population of 10 to 12 million, with Roman Catholicism the country's 
largest single denomination. The Roman Catholic Church claims 5 million 
adherents, but such figures could not be verified. A Luanda Catholic FM 
radio station, Radio Ecclesia, airs weekly several hours of church 
services and overtly religious programming. The major Protestant 
denominations also are present, along with a number of indigenous 
African and Brazilian Christian denominations. The largest Protestant 
denominations include the Methodists, Baptists, United Church of 
Christ, and Congregationalists. The largest syncretic religious group 
is the Kimbanguist Church, whose followers believe that a mid-20th 
century Congolese pastor named Joseph Kimbangu was a prophet. A small 
portion of the country's rural population practices animism or 
traditional indigenous religions. There is a small Islamic community 
based around migrants from West Africa.
    In colonial times, the country's coastal populations were primarily 
Catholic while the Protestant mission groups were active in the 
interior. With the massive social displacement caused by 25 years of 
civil war, this rough division is no longer valid.
    Foreign missionaries were very active prior to independence in 
1975, although the Portuguese colonial authorities expelled many 
Protestant missionaries and closed mission stations based on the belief 
that the missionaries were inciting pro-independence sentiments. The 
post-independence Government was a one-party state until 1991 and 
nationalized all church schools and clinics. Missionaries have been 
able to return to the country since the early 1990's although security 
conditions due to the civil war have made it impossible for them to 
return to most parts of the interior.
    Members of the clergy in government-held areas regularly use their 
pulpits to criticize government policies. In 1996 a German clergyman 
was charged with subversive activities for speaking out on social 
issues, but there were no reported cases of such charges during the 
period covered by this report.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
    While in general the rebel group UNITA permitted freedom of 
religion, interviews with persons who left UNITA-controlled areas 
revealed that the clergy did not enjoy the right to criticize UNITA 
policies.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the country's religious 
denominations, and there is a functioning ecumenical movement, 
particularly in support of peace.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
    Embassy officials and official visitors from Washington routinely 
meet with the country's religious leaders in the context of 
peacekeeping, democratization, development, and humanitarian relief 
efforts. Church groups are key members of the country's civil society 
movement and are consulted regularly. Embassy officials, including the 
Ambassador, the Director of the Agency for International Development, 
and others, maintain an ongoing dialog with the leaderships of all of 
the country's religious denominations.
                               __________

                                 BENIN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. There is no state 
religion.
    Persons who wish to form a religious group must register with the 
Ministry of the Interior. Registration requirements are identical for 
all religious groups. There were no reports that any group had been 
refused permission to register or had been subjected to untoward delays 
or obstacles in the registration process. Religious groups are free 
from taxation. The Government accords respect to prominent religious 
leaders and different faiths. For example, Christian, Muslim, and 
traditional indigenous religious holidays are recognized officially and 
state-run television features coverage of the celebration of religious 
holidays and funerals of prominent religious leaders.
Religious Demography
    Reliable statistics on religious affiliation are not available. 
However, according to most estimates, some 25 percent of the population 
are nominally Christian, and about 15 percent are nominally Muslim. At 
least 60 percent of the population adheres to one form or another of 
traditional indigenous beliefs. Many persons who nominally identify 
themselves as Christian or Muslim also practice traditional indigenous 
beliefs. Among the most commonly practiced traditional indigenous faith 
is the animist ``vodoun'' system of belief, which originated in this 
part of Africa. Almost all citizens appear to be believers in a 
supernatural order. There are practically no atheists.
    There are Christians, Muslims, and adherents to traditional 
indigenous religions throughout the country. However, most adherents of 
the traditional Yoruba religion are in the south, while other 
traditional indigenous faiths are followed in the north. Muslims are 
represented most heavily in the north and in the southeast. Christians 
are prevalent in the south, particularly in Cotonou, the economic 
capital. It is not unusual for members of the same family to practice 
Christianity, Islam, traditional indigenous religions, or several 
combinations of all of these.
    Over half of all Christians are Roman Catholics. Other groups 
include Baptists, Methodists, Assembly of God, Pentecostals, Latter-Day 
Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Celestial Christians, Rosicrucians, the 
Unification Church, Eckankar, Seventh-Day Adventists, and the Baha'i 
Faith. Nearly all Muslims adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam. The few 
Shi'a Muslims are primarily Middle Eastern expatriates.
    The Reconciliation and Development Conference, held in Cotonou and 
sponsored by the Government in December 1999, focused on the legacy of 
the triangular Atlantic slave trade and sought to reconcile Africans 
and the African Diaspora using evangelical Protestant principles. The 
conference was open to persons of all faiths (or no faith) and all 
nationalities. Participants offered numerous religious and secular 
perspectives.
    Missionary groups operate freely throughout the country.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Due possibly to the diversity of religious affiliations within 
families and communities, religious tolerance is widespread at all 
levels of society and in all geographic regions. Relations are 
generally amicable between the many religious groups. Inter-faith 
dialog occurs regularly, and citizens respect different religious 
traditions and practices, including syncretistic beliefs.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. A 
U.S. senator, two congressmen, and embassy representatives attended the 
December 1999 Reconciliation and Development Conference in Cotonou (see 
Section I).
                               __________

                                BOTSWANA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    The Constitution provides for the suspension of religious freedom 
in the interests of national defense, public safety, public order, 
public morality, or public health. However, any suspension of religious 
freedom by the Government must be deemed ``reasonably justifiable in a 
democratic society.''
    The Constitution also provides for the protection of the rights and 
freedoms of other persons, including the right to observe and practice 
any religion without the unsolicited intervention of members of any 
other religion.
    All religious organizations must register with the Government. To 
register, a group submits its constitution to the Ministry of Home 
Affairs. After a generally simple bureaucratic process, the 
organization is registered. There are no legal benefits for registered 
organizations. Unregistered groups are potentially liable to penalties 
including fines up to $192 (1,000 Pula), up to 7 years in jail, or 
both. Except for the case of the Unification Church, there is no 
indication that any religious organization has ever been denied 
registration.
    The Unification Church was denied registration (but not suspended) 
in 1984 by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the public order grounds 
stipulated in the Constitution. The Government also perceived the 
Unification Church as anti-Semitic and denied registration because of 
another constitutional provision, which protects the rights and 
freedoms of individuals to practice their religion without 
intervention. In the intervening 16 years, although it has petitioned 
unsuccessfully the offices of the President and Vice President, the 
Unification Church has made no move to challenge the Ministry's 
decision in the courts.
Religious Demography
    About half of the country's citizens identify themselves as 
Christians. Anglicans, Methodists, and the United Congregational Church 
of Southern Africa--formerly the London Missionary Society--claim the 
majority of Christian adherents. There are also congregations of 
Lutherans, Roman Catholics, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day 
Saints, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, the 
Dutch Reformed Church, and other Christian denominations.
    In recent years, a number of churches of West African origin have 
begun holding services, drawing good-sized crowds with a charismatic 
blend of Christianity and traditional indigenous religions.
    Most other citizens adhere to traditional indigenous religions, or 
to a mixture of religions. There is a small Muslim community--about 2 
to 3 percent of the population--primarily of South Asian origin, and a 
very small Baha'i community as well.
    The Constitution provides that every religious community may 
establish places for religious instruction at the community's expense. 
The Constitution prohibits forced religious instruction, forced 
participation in religious ceremonies, or taking oaths that run counter 
to an individual's religious beliefs.
    There are no laws against proselytizing.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of forced religious conversion of minor U.S. 
citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United 
States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be 
returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the country's religious communities are amicable. 
An independent effort to establish an inter-faith committee between the 
Christian and Muslim communities in the early 1990's failed due to lack 
of identifiable mutual interests.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                              BURKINA FASO

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the amicable relationship among 
religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. There is no official state 
religion. Islam, Christianity, and traditional indigenous religions are 
practiced freely without government interference. The Government 
neither subsidizes nor favors any particular religion.
    The Government requires that religious groups register with the 
Ministry of Territorial Administration. Registration establishes a 
group's legal presence in the country but entails no specific controls 
or benefits. Religious groups only are taxed if they carry on lucrative 
activities, i.e., farming. Registration only confers legal status. 
There are no penalties for failure to register. All groups are given 
equal access to licenses, and the Government does not approve 
registrations in an arbitrary manner.
Religious Demography
    There is no single dominant religion. Approximately 52 percent of 
the population practice Islam, about 17 percent practice Roman 
Catholicism, about 4 percent are members of various Protestant 
denominations, 26 percent practice traditional indigenous religions, 
and approximately 1 percent practices either Buddhism or no religion. 
There are no reliable data on the number of atheists or persons not 
practicing any religion. The majority of the country's Muslims belong 
to the Sunni branch of Islam, while small minorities adhere to the 
Shi'a or Tidjania branches.
    Muslims are largely concentrated around the northern, eastern, and 
western borders, while Christians are concentrated in the center of the 
country. Traditional indigenous religions are practiced widely 
throughout the country, especially in rural communities. Ouagadougou, 
the capital, is mostly Christian, and Bobo-Diaoulasso, the country's 
second largest city, is largely Muslim. The country has a small Muslim 
Lebanese immigrant community.
    Members of the dominant ethnic group, the Mossi, belong to all 
three major religions. Fulani and Jula groups are overwhelmingly 
Muslim. There is little correlation between religious differences and 
political differences. Religious affiliation appears unrelated to 
membership in the ruling party, the Congress for Democracy and Progress 
(CDP). Government officials belong to all of the major religions, and 
the practice of a particular faith is not known to entail any advantage 
or disadvantage in the political arena, the civil service, the 
military, or the private sector.
    Foreign missionary groups, including Protestants, operate freely 
and face no special restrictions. The denominations and organizations 
represented include the Assemblies of God, Campus Crusade for Christ, 
the Christian Missionary Alliance, Baptists, Wycliffe Bible 
Translators, the Mennonite Central Committee, Jehovah's Witnesses, the 
Mormon Church, the Pentecostal Church of Canada, the World Evangelical 
Crusade, and the Society for International Missions (SIM). The 
Government neither forbids missionaries from entering the country nor 
restricts their activities.
    Religious instruction is not offered in public schools; it is 
limited to private schools and to the home. The Muslim and Catholic 
faiths operate general schools at the primary and secondary levels. The 
State monitors both the nonreligious curriculum and the qualifications 
of teachers employed at these schools. Although school officials must 
submit the names of their directors to the Government, the State has 
never been involved in appointing or approving these officials. The 
Government does not fund any religious school. Unlike other private 
schools, religious schools pay no taxes if they do not conduct any 
lucrative activities.
    The Attorney General and the Superior Council of Information (CSI) 
have the authority to grant publishing and broadcasting licenses to 
religious groups. No religious group has ever been denied a license. 
Before granting a license, the Attorney General and the CSI must 
examine samples of proposed publications to assure that they are in 
accordance with the stated nature of the religious group and be 
informed of the name of the proposed publication or broadcasting 
director. Religious groups are free to say what they want in their 
publications and broadcasts unless the judicial system determines that 
they are harming public order or committing slander, which to date has 
never occurred.
    There are nine radio stations operated by religious groups, of 
which five are run by the Catholic Church and four by Protestant 
denominations. Five of the stations were created before the CSI was 
established in 1995. All nine have signed agreements with the CSI, 
which means that they have complied successfully with the regulations 
governing the operation of all radio stations in the country, including 
those that are commercial and state-run.
    There is one religious television station operated by a Protestant 
denomination in Ouagadougou. It broadcasts 2 hours in the evening in 
both French and the local language, More. The Catholic Church and 
several Protestant denominations publish periodicals.
    The Government has never denied a publishing or broadcasting 
license to any religious group that has requested one. There are no 
special tax preferences granted to religious organizations operating 
print or broadcast media.
    The procedures for applying for publishing and broadcasting 
licenses are the same for both religious groups and commercial 
entities. Applications are first sent for review to the Ministry of 
Communication and Culture and then forwarded to the Ministry of 
Territorial Administration and Security (MATS). If the Government does 
not respond to the application for a publishing license within the 
required timeframe, the applicant can automatically begin publishing. 
For radio licenses, before beginning broadcasts the applicant must wait 
until the National Office of Telecommunications (ONATEL) assigns a 
frequency and determines that the group's broadcasting equipment is of 
a professional quality. Once the broadcast license is granted, the 
Government regulates the operation of religious radio stations in 
accordance with the same rules that apply to commercial and state-run 
stations. Stations must show that their workers are employed full-time, 
that ONATEL has been paid for the use of assigned frequencies, and that 
employee social security taxes and intellectual property fees have been 
paid.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the various religious communities have been 
amicable. Religious tolerance is widespread, and members of the same 
family often practice different religions. There have been no 
significant ecumenical movements.
    There have been no official reports of religious conflict or ritual 
murders involving practitioners of traditional religions during the 
period covered by this report. However, there have been allegations of 
witchcraft. The Ministry of Social Action and the Family maintains a 
shelter in Ouagadougou for women forced to flee their villages because 
they were suspected of being sorceresses.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses issues of religious freedom with the 
Government in context of its overall promotion of human rights.
    The Embassy also maintains contacts with leaders of all major 
organized religious denominations and groups in the country.
                               __________

                                BURUNDI

    The Transitional Constitutional Act provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of religious freedom during the 
period covered by the report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Transitional Constitutional Act provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice. The 
Government at all levels generally protects this right in full, and 
does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private actors. 
There is no state religion.
    The Government requires religious groups to register with the 
Ministry of Internal Affairs, which keeps track of their leadership and 
activities. The Government requires that religious groups have a 
headquarters in the country. Once registered, religious organizations 
enjoy tax-free status, and clergy theoretically do not have to pay duty 
on purchased goods. However, one religious group reported that it was 
required to pay duty on all imported goods, except books and other 
publications.
Religious Demography
    Many citizens regularly attend religious services. Although 
reliable statistics on the number of followers of various religions are 
not available, a Roman Catholic official estimated that 60 percent of 
the population are Catholic, with the largest concentration of 
adherents located in the center and south of the country. A Muslim 
leader estimated that up to 10 percent of the population are Muslim, 
mostly in urban areas. The remainder of the population belongs to other 
Christian churches, practices traditional indigenous religions, or has 
no religious affiliation.
    The heads of major religious organizations are accorded diplomatic 
status. Foreign missionary groups of many faiths are active in the 
country and openly promote their religious beliefs. The Government has 
welcomed their development assistance.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In their practice of religion, citizens generally tolerate other 
religions. Disputes between religious groups are rare, apart from minor 
disagreements over competition for followers.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy officials also maintain regular contact with leaders and 
members of the various religious communities.
                               __________

                                CAMEROON

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations among different religious groups are generally amicable; 
however, some religious groups face societal pressure and 
discrimination within their regions, although this may reflect ethnic 
as much as religious differences.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    In general, the Law on Religious Congregations governs relations 
between the State and religious groups. Religious groups must be 
approved and registered with the Ministry of Territorial Administration 
in order to function legally; there were no reports that the Government 
refused to register any group. It is illegal for a religious group to 
operate without official recognition, but the law prescribes no 
specific penalties for doing so. Although official recognition confers 
no general tax benefits, it does allow religious groups to receive real 
estate as gifts and legacies for the conduct of their activities. In 
order to register, a religious denomination must fulfill the legal 
requirement to qualify as a religious congregation. This definition 
includes ``any group of natural persons or corporate bodies whose 
vocation is divine worship'' or ``any group of persons living in 
community in accordance with a religious doctrine.'' The denomination 
then submits a file to the Minister of Territorial Administration. The 
file must include a request for authorization, a copy of the charter of 
the group which describes planned activities, and the names and 
respective functions of the officials of the group. The Minister 
studies the file and sends it to the presidency with a recommendation 
for a positive or negative decision. The President generally follows 
the recommendation of the Minister, and authorization is granted by a 
presidential decree. The approval process usually takes several years, 
due primarily to administrative delays. The only religious groups known 
to be registered are Christian and Muslim groups and the Baha'i Faith, 
but other groups may be registered. The Ministry has not disclosed the 
number of registered denominations, but the number of registered 
religious groups is estimated to be in the dozens. The Government does 
not register traditional religious groups on the grounds that the 
practice of traditional religions is not public but rather private to 
members of a particular ethnic or kinship group, or to the residents of 
a particular locality.
Religious Demography
    Muslim centers and Christian churches of various denominations 
operate freely throughout the country. Approximately 40 percent of the 
population are at least nominally Christian, about 20 percent are at 
least nominally Islamic, and about 40 percent practice traditional 
indigenous religions or no religion. Of the Christians, approximately 
half are Catholics and about half are affiliated with Protestant 
denominations. Christians are concentrated mainly in the southern and 
western provinces. The two Anglophone provinces of the western region 
are largely Protestant; the Francophone provinces of the southern and 
western regions are largely Catholic. Muslims are concentrated mainly 
in the northern provinces, where the locally dominant Fulani (or Peuhl) 
ethnic group is overwhelmingly Muslim, and other ethnic groups, known 
collectively as the Kirdi, are generally partly Islamicized. The Bamoun 
ethnic group of the western provinces is also largely Muslim. 
Traditional indigenous religions are practiced in rural areas 
throughout the country but rarely are practiced publicly in cities, in 
part because many such religions are intrinsically local in character.
    Religious missionaries are present throughout the country and 
operate without impediment, including 100 American missionaries and 
their dependents. Several religious denominations also operate diverse 
private schools. A Catholic-affiliated private radio station also 
continues to broadcast in Yaounde while its official authorization 
remains pending. The Catholic Church, the largest religious 
denomination in the country, also operates a private institution of 
general postsecondary education, one of the country's very few modern 
private printing presses, and a weekly newspaper, which until the 
1990's was one of the only private newspapers in the country.
    The Government does not have a program to promote inter-faith 
understanding.
    Although post-secondary education continues to be dominated by 
state institutions, private schools affiliated with religious 
denominations, including Catholic, Protestant, and Koranic schools, 
long have been among the country's best schools at the primary and 
secondary levels. The Ministry of Education is charged by law with 
ensuring that private schools run by religious groups meet the same 
standards as state-operated schools in terms of curriculum, building 
quality, and teacher training. For schools affiliated with religious 
groups, this oversight function is performed by the Sub-Department of 
Confessional Education of the Ministry's Department of Private 
Education.
    Disputes within registered religious groups about control of places 
of worship, schools, real estate, or financial assets are resolved in 
the first instance by the executive branch rather than by the 
judiciary.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    On April 24, the Ministry of National Education announced the 
suspension of two teachers of the Bertoua technical high school. The 
two teachers were accused of having ``enticed'' some of their students 
into their religious group. On April 20, 2000, government security 
forces reportedly stormed Notre Dame de Sept Douleurs parish in Douala 
during the ceremony of Mass. Security forces reportedly arrested some 
parishioners and beat others.
    The sites and personnel of religious institutions were not exempt 
from the widespread human rights abuses committed by government 
security forces. In January 1998, an undisclosed number of personnel of 
the 21st Navy Battalion, allegedly broke into a church in Douala, beat 
and stabbed the priest and several youths, raped young women, and stole 
funds. On February 22, 2000, the Douala Military Tribunal convicted the 
personnel of breach of orders causing bodily harm and destruction. The 
tribunal sentenced them to 1-year imprisonment with no possibility of 
remission.
    In the past, government officials have criticized and questioned 
any criticisms of the Government by religious institutions and leaders; 
however, there were no reports that government officials during the 
period covered by this report used force or other means to suppress 
such criticism.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among different religious groups are generally amicable; 
however, some religious groups face societal pressures within their 
regions. In the northern provinces, especially in rural areas, societal 
discrimination by Muslims against persons who practice traditional 
indigenous religions is strong and widespread, and some Christians in 
rural areas of the north complain of discrimination by Muslims. 
However, no specific incidents or violence stemming from religious 
discrimination were reported, and the reported discrimination may 
reflect ethnic as much as religious differences. The northern region 
suffers from ethnic tensions between the Fulani, a Muslim group that 
conquered most of the region 200 years ago, and the Kirdi, the 
descendents of groups that practiced traditional indigenous religions 
and whom the Fulani conquered or displaced, justifying their conquest 
on religious grounds. Although some Kirdi subsequently have adopted 
Islam, the Kirdi remain socially, educationally, and economically 
disadvantaged relative to the Fulani in the three northern provinces. 
(The slavery still practiced in parts of the north is reported to be 
largely enslavement of Kirdi by Fulani.)
    There were no reports of religiously motivated violence by 
practitioners of a traditional indigenous religion against persons who 
did not practice that religion.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy maintained regular contact with religious groups in the country 
and monitored religious freedom.
                               __________

                               CAPE VERDE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The Constitution also 
provides for the separation of church and state and prohibits the State 
from imposing any religious beliefs and practices.
    To be recognized officially by the Government, religious groups (as 
well as other organized groups of citizens) must register with the 
Ministry of Justice to be recognized as legal entities. However, 
failure to do so does not result in any restriction on religious belief 
or practice.
Religious Demography
    The overwhelming majority (over 90 percent) of citizens is at least 
nominally Roman Catholic. The largest Protestant denomination is the 
Church of the Nazarene. Other Christian churches include the Seventh-
Day Adventist Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 
the Assembly of God, and various other Pentecostal and evangelical 
groups. There are also small Muslim and Baha'i communities.
    It generally is recognized that the Catholic majority enjoys a 
privileged status in national life--for example, the Government 
provides it with free television broadcast time for religious services 
and observes its holy days as official holidays.
    There is no association between religious differences and ethnic or 
political differences, although it generally is recognized that the 
Roman Catholic hierarchy in the country is sympathetic to the governing 
Movement for Democracy (MPD) party and generally hostile to the 
opposition Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV).
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                        CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion but establishes 
fixed legal conditions and prohibits what the Government considers 
religious fundamentalism or intolerance. Although the constitutional 
provision prohibiting religious fundamentalism is widely understood to 
be aimed at Muslims, in practice, the Government permits adherents of 
all religions to worship without interference.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Generally there are amicable relations between the various 
religious communities; however, there have been occasional reports that 
persons believed to be witches were harassed, beaten, or sometimes 
killed.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion but establishes 
fixed legal conditions and prohibits what the Government considers 
religious fundamentalism or intolerance. The constitutional provision 
prohibiting religious fundamentalism is widely understood to be aimed 
at Muslims. In practice, the Government permits adherents of all 
religions to worship without interference.
    Religious groups (except for traditional indigenous religious 
groups) are required by law to register with the Ministry of Interior. 
This registration is free and confers official recognition and certain 
limited benefits, such as customs duty exemption for the importation of 
vehicles or equipment, but does not confer a general tax exemption. The 
administrative police of the Ministry of Interior keep track of groups 
that have failed to register but the police have not attempted to 
impose any penalty on such groups. During the period covered by this 
report, the Government continued to refuse to reregister the previously 
registered and subsequently banned Unification Church. The Government 
does not register traditional indigenous religious groups.
Religious Demography
    A variety of religious communities are active. The population is 
believed to be about 50 percent Christian, 15 percent Muslim, and 35 
percent practitioners of traditional indigenous religions, or non-
religious. Most Christians also practice some aspects of their 
traditional indigenous religions.
    Religious organizations and missionary groups are free to 
proselytize, worship, and construct places of worship.
    The Government has taken positive steps to promote inter-faith 
dialog.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Any religious or nonreligious group that the Government considers 
subversive is subject to sanctions. The Ministry of Interior may 
decline to register, suspend the operations of, or ban any organization 
that it deems offensive to public morals or likely to disturb the 
peace. The Government has banned the Unification Church since the mid-
1980's as a subversive organization likely to disturb the peace, 
specifically in connection with alleged paramilitary training of young 
church members. However, the Government imposed no new sanctions on any 
religious group during the period covered by this report. The Ministry 
of Interior also may intervene to resolve internal conflicts about 
property, finances, or leadership within religious groups.
    Muslims, particularly Mbororo (also known as Peulh or Fulani) 
herders, claim to be singled out for harassment by authorities, 
including extortion by police, due to popular resentment of their 
presumed affluence. Muslims play a preponderant role in the economy.
    The practice of witchcraft is a criminal offense under the Penal 
Code; however, persons are generally prosecuted for this offense only 
in conjunction with some other offense, such as murder. Witchcraft 
traditionally has been a common explanation for diseases of which the 
causes were unknown. Although many traditional indigenous religions 
include or accommodate belief in the efficacy of witchcraft, they 
generally approve of harmful witchcraft only for defensive or 
retaliatory purposes and purport to offer protection against it. The 
practice of witchcraft is widely understood to encompass attempts to 
harm others not only by magic, but also by covert means of established 
efficacy such as poisons.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Although religious tolerance among members of different religious 
groups is the norm, there have been occasional reports that some 
villagers who were believed to be witches were harassed, beaten or 
sometimes killed by neighbors. Courts have tried, convicted, and 
sentenced some persons for crimes of violence against suspected 
witches.
    During the period covered by this report, traveling in the northern 
central region of the country became unsafe. Religious groups, 
particularly Catholic priests and nuns, were victims of organized armed 
highway bandits on the road to Bambari, near Grimari village, 180 miles 
northeast of Bangui. On February 5, 2000, armed bandits attacked a 
vehicle transporting priests, and an hour later attacked another one in 
which they killed one nun and wounded another. A week later the funeral 
procession of the nun was attacked near the same place.
    Archbishop Joachim Ndayen protested this assault against Catholic 
clergy by accusing the Government of silence, and of not stopping 
highway banditry or prosecuting the perpetrators.
    When serious social or political conflicts have arisen, 
simultaneous prayer ceremonies have been held in churches, temples, and 
mosques to ask for divine assistance. The Catholic Commission for 
Justice and Peace often conducts developmental and educational programs 
and seminars throughout the country. The members work closely with 
other church groups and social organizations on social issues. On April 
15, 2000, this commission organized a large rally at the national 
stadium to promote dialog on peace and tolerance. President Ange Felix 
Patasse and many government officials attended. National radio and 
television covered the event.
    There was some popular resentment of the presumed affluence of 
Muslims (see Section I).

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy maintains contact with religious groups, especially American 
missionaries in the country, and monitors human rights developments.
                               __________

                                  CHAD

    The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice; however, at times it has 
limited this right.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Generally there are amicable relations between the various 
religious communities; however, there are indications of increasing 
tension between Christians and Muslims due to the proselytizing by 
evangelical Christians.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice. The Constitution also 
provides that the country shall be a secular state. However, despite 
the secular nature of the State, a large proportion of senior 
government officials are Muslims, and some policies favor Islam in 
practice. For example, the Government sponsors annual Hajj trips to 
Mecca for certain government officials.
    The Government requires religious groups, including both foreign 
missionary groups and domestic religious groups, to register with the 
Ministry of the Interior's Department for Religious Affairs. 
Registration confers official recognition but does not confer any tax 
preferences or other benefits. There are no specific legal penalties 
for failure to register, and there were no reports that any group had 
failed to apply for registration or that the registration process is 
unduly burdensome. The Government reportedly has denied official 
recognition to some groups of Arab Muslims in Ati, near the eastern 
border with Sudan, on the grounds that they have incorporated elements 
of traditional African religion, such as dancing and singing, into 
their worship. For example, the Minister of Interior banned the Islamic 
group Faydal Djaria in January 1998.
    Non-Islamic religious leaders claim that Islamic officials and 
organizations receive greater tax exemptions and unofficial financial 
support from the Government. State lands reportedly are accorded to 
Islamic leaders for the purpose of building mosques, while other 
religious denominations must purchase land at market rates to build 
churches.
    On May 31, 2000, the Supreme Court handed down a decision rejecting 
a request from one branch of a Christian evangelical church to deny 
government recognition to its independent sister branch. In 1998 the 
Eglise Evangelique des Freres (EEF) split into moderate and 
fundamentalist groups. The moderate branch of the EEF retained the 
legal registration for the Church, but on April 7, 1999, the Ministry 
of Interior awarded recognition to the fundamentalist branch under a 
new name (Eglise des Freres Independentes au Tchad (EFIT). Since 1999 
the EEF branch has sought to bar the EFIT church legally from practice, 
and ultimately the case went before the Supreme Court, which upheld the 
rights of the EFIT to continue its religious work and its right to 
function.
Religious Demography
    Of the total population, 54 percent are Islamic. About one-third 
are Christian, and the remainder practice traditional indigenous 
religions or no religion at all. Most northerners practice Islam; most 
southerners practice Christianity or a traditional indigenous religion. 
Many citizens, despite stated religious affiliation, do not regularly 
practice their religion.
    The vast majority of Muslims practice a moderate form of Islam 
known locally as Tidjani, which originated in 1727 under Sheik Ahmat 
Tidjani in what is now Morocco and Algeria. Tidjani Islam, as practiced 
in the country, incorporates some local African religious elements. A 
small minority of the country's Muslims (5 to 10 percent) is considered 
fundamentalist.
    Roman Catholics make up the largest Christian denomination in the 
country; most Protestants are affiliated with various evangelical 
Christian groups.
    Adherents of two other religions, the Baha'i Faith and Jehovah's 
Witnesses, also are present in the country. Both faiths were introduced 
after independence in 1960 and therefore are considered to be ``new'' 
religions. Because of their relatively recent origin and their 
affiliation with foreign practitioners, both are perceived as foreign.
    There are foreign missionaries representing both Christian and 
Islamic groups. Catholic and Protestant (primarily evangelical 
Christian) missionaries proselytize in the country. Itinerant Muslim 
imams also visit, primarily from Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. 
Foreign missionaries do not face restrictions but must register and 
receive authorization from the Ministry of Interior.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Within the Islamic community, the Government has intervened to 
imprison and sanction fundamentalist Islamic imams believed to be 
promoting conflict among Muslims. A fundamentalist imam in N'Djdamena, 
Sheikh Faki Suzuki (named after the Suzuki car equipped with 
loudspeakers that he uses for broadcasting his sermons around town) was 
restricted from preaching Islam for 6 months, from October 1998 to 
March 1999, and the authorities also placed him under house arrest. He 
is no longer under house arrest. However, since the beginning of 2000, 
he has experienced problems with the Islamic Committee in Ndjamena for 
painting their name and logo on his car. He was warned twice not to try 
to represent the committee, and he responded by removing the committee 
name from his car.
    In January 1999, the Government arbitrarily arrested and detained 
imam Sheikh Mahamat Marouf, the fundamentalist Islamic leader of the 
northeastern town of Abeche, and refused to allow his followers to meet 
and pray openly in their mosque. Sheik Marouf was released from prison 
in November 1999 after nearly 1 year in jail. Sheikh Marouf may pray 
but is not permitted to lead prayers. His followers are allowed to pray 
in their mosques, but are forbidden from debating religious beliefs in 
any way that might be considered proselytizing--although the Tidjani 
followers are allowed to proselytize.
    In both instances, the Government claims that the men were 
responsible for inciting religious violence; their followers reject the 
Government's claim and cite religious differences with the Government.
    On May 25, 2000, the Sultan of Kanem arrested a large number of 
adherents of an Islamic group, Faydal Djaria. The group arrived in the 
country from Nigeria and Senegal, and incorporates singing and dancing 
into its religious ceremonies and activities. Male and female members 
of the group freely interact with one another during religious 
gatherings. The group is found from the Kanem region around Lake Chad 
into neighboring Chari Baguirmi. The Chadian Superior Council of 
Islamic Affairs considers that the Faydal Djaria group does not conform 
to Islamic tenets, and requested the Ministry of Interior to arrest the 
group's spiritual leader, Ahmat Abdallah. In January 1998, the Minister 
of Interior banned the group. However, since the beginning of 2000, the 
group has been increasingly active, resulting in the recent arrests in 
the Kanem. The new Director of Religious Affairs at the Ministry of 
Interior has requested that the Superior Council of Islamic Affairs to 
provide the specific sections of the Koran that support the ban of the 
group.
    There is an undetermined number of Faydal Djaria followers who are 
prisoners in Kanem.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Most inter-faith dialog happens on an individual level and not 
through the intervention of the Government. Although the different 
religious communities generally coexist without problems, some citizens 
have noted increasing tension between Christians and Muslims due to the 
proselytizing by evangelical Christians. In addition, tensions and 
conflicts between government supporters from the politically dominant 
northern region and rebels from the politically subordinate southern 
region occasionally have religious overtones.
    However, representatives of civil society and religious leaders met 
under the Ministry of Social Affairs' auspices to develop a new Family 
Code during the period covered by this report. Although the working 
group was not able to resolve certain differences between religious 
groups, the Government still seeks to formulate a Family Code that 
takes all religious and ethnic groups' social practices into 
consideration. At issue were traditional Islamic attitudes regarding 
inheritance, marriage, and other social customs that Islamic leaders 
consider as fundamental to their religion and not open to compromise.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                COMOROS

    The new Constitution decreed in May 1999 does not prohibit 
specifically discrimination based on religion or religious belief, and 
the Government restricted this right.
    There was no change in the status of what is at times limited 
respect for religious freedom during the period of the report.
    An overwhelming majority of the population is Sunni Muslim. 
Government authorities and the local population restricted the right of 
Christians to practice their faith. Police regularly threatened and 
sometimes detained practicing Christians. Usually the authorities hold 
those detained for a few days and often attempt to convert them to 
Islam forcibly. In October 1999, two citizens were arrested, tried, and 
convicted of ``anti-Islamic activity'' in part because they possessed 
Christian books and audiovisual material. One of the citizens was 
sentenced to 18 months in prison, while the other was sentenced to 4 
months. The first was released after 4 months, while the second was 
released after 2 months. There is widespread societal discrimination 
against Christians.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution promulgated in May by the head of the military 
after the April 20, 1999, coup provides that the National Army of 
Development upholds individual and collective liberties; however, it 
does not provide specifically for freedom of religion, and the 
Government restricted this right. The Government discouraged the 
practice of religions other than Islam. Christians, in particular, 
faced restrictions on their ability to practice their faith. The Ulamas 
council, which had advised the President, Prime Minister, President of 
the Federal Assembly, the Council of Isles, and the island governors on 
whether bills, ordinances, decrees, and laws are in conformity with the 
principles of Islam, no longer exists. The Constitution written by the 
separatist leadership of the island of Anjouan provides for freedom of 
religion; however, the separatist leadership has discouraged the 
practice of religions other than Islam. However, there were no reports 
of official persecution initiated by civil authorities during the 
period covered by this report. In one instance on Anjouan, a judge 
intervened to protect Christians from harassment.
Religious Demography
    An overwhelming majority--almost 99 percent--of the population is 
Sunni Muslim. Fewer than 300 persons--less than 1 percent of the 
population--are Christian; all of who reportedly converted to 
Christianity within the last 5 years. There is a very small population 
(less than five families) of Indian descent, of which two or three 
families are Hindu.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government continues to restrict the use of the country's three 
churches to noncitizens. There are two Roman Catholic churches, one in 
Moroni on the island of Grande Comore and one in Mutsamudu on the 
island of Anjouan. There is one Protestant church in Moroni. Many 
Christians practice their faith in private residences. Christian 
missionaries work in local hospitals and schools, but they are not 
allowed to proselytize.
    Some community authorities on Anjouan have banned Christians from 
attending any community events and banned Christian burials in a local 
cemetery, but there were no reports of such incidents during the period 
covered by this report.
    Bans on alcohol and immodest dress are enforced sporadically, 
usually during religious months, like Ramadan. Alcohol can be imported 
and sold with a permit from the Government.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Police regularly threatened and sometimes detained practicing 
Christians. In December 1999, Bibles were found in the possession of 
three young men from the village of Chomoni on Grande Comore. A mob 
burned two of their huts, and they were turned over to local police. 
The police reportedly beat them, doused them with water, and then 
imprisoned them for 3 days before they were released. In the past, 
there have been accounts of police and quasi-police authorities, known 
as embargoes, arresting, beating, and detaining Christians on the 
island of Anjouan; however, there were no such incidents reported 
during the period covered by this report.
    The Government has arrested and convicted individuals with 
Christian affiliations on charges of ``anti-Islamic activity.'' In 
October 1999, two citizens were arrested, tried, and convicted on 
charges of disturbing the peace and anti-Islamic activity. They were 
apprehended following a protest by Islamic religious leaders against 
the airing of a Christian video on a local, private television station. 
One was sentenced to 18 months for allegedly selling or giving away the 
videotapes; he was released after serving 4 months in jail. The other 
was sentenced to 4 months for having a meeting in his home where the 
same videos were shown; he was released after serving 2 months in jail 
and since has left the country. Police confiscated videos, Bibles, and 
books from the homes of the individuals and arrested one of them while 
he was trying to flee the country. The police declared the videos 
illegal and ordered that all copies be turned in to authorities; in 
making this declaration, the police announced in that ``freedom of 
worship is not recognized in Comoros;'' however, it is not clear 
whether this announcement was a statement made by an individual 
policeman or a statement of official policy.
    There is Islamic instruction in public schools for students at the 
middle school level that coincides with Arabic instruction. Almost all 
children between 4 and 7 years of age go to koranic schools outside of 
normal school hours in order to learn to read the Koran.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There is widespread societal discrimination against Christians in 
all sectors of life. Attempts have been made to isolate Christians from 
village life. In September and October 1999, on Anjouan, a religious 
leader started an unofficial campaign against Christians. Committees 
were formed in many villages to harass Christians, and lists of names 
of suspected Christians were circulated. Anti-Christian rhetoric was 
broadcast on the radio. This campaign resulted in threats, but there 
were no reports of violence. Christians face insults and threats of 
violence from members of their communities. Christians have been 
harassed by mobs in front of mosques and called in for questioning by 
religious authorities. In some instances, families have forced 
Christian family members out of their homes or threatened them with a 
loss of financial support. Some Christians have had their Bibles taken 
by family members. In the past, local government officials, religious 
authorities, and family members have attempted to force Christians to 
attend services at mosques against their will, but there were no 
reports of such incidents during the period covered by this report.
    Islamic fundamentalism is growing in popularity as more students 
return to the country after studying Islamic subjects in foreign 
countries.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                    DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

    Although there is no constitution currently in effect, the 
Government generally respected freedom of religion in practice, 
provided that worshipers neither disturb public order nor contradict 
commonly held morals; however, government forces committed some abuses.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
in government-controlled areas. However, in areas of the country under 
the military occupation of Rwanda, Uganda, and their respective rebel 
clients, respect for religious freedom deteriorated. Credible reports 
indicate that occupying troops and their rebel allies deliberately 
targeted Catholic churches as a means of both intimidating the local 
population and in revenge for the Church's perceived role in the 1994 
Tutsi genocide in Rwanda. Credible sources report that these attacks 
resulted in priests being killed, nuns raped, and churches burned. 
Rebel and Rwandan authorities also exiled the Bishop of Bukavu, whom 
they suspected of inciting resistance. However, these actions 
apparently resulted largely from political, rather than religious, 
motives.
    Relations between the major religions were amicable, with the 
National Consultations serving as a catalyst in promoting greater 
cooperation.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. The U.S. Government protested the forced internal exile 
of the Bishop of Bukavu, and repeatedly called for an end to the war 
and the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Policy/Legal Framework
    Although there is no constitution currently in effect, the 
Government generally respects freedom of religion in practice, provided 
that worshipers neither disturb public order nor contradict commonly 
held morals; however, government forces committed some abuses. There is 
no state religion.
    The establishment and operation of religious institutions is 
provided for and regulated through a statutory order on Regulation of 
Non-profit Associations and Public Utility Institutions. Requirements 
for the establishment of a religious organization are simple and 
generally not subject to abuse. Exemption from taxation is among the 
benefits granted to religious organizations. A 1971 law regulating 
religious organizations grants civil servants the power to recognize, 
suspend recognition of, or dissolve religious groups. There have been 
no reports of the Government suspending or dissolving a religious group 
since 1990, when the Government suspended its recognition of the 
Jehovah's Witnesses; that suspension subsequently was reversed by a 
court. Although this law restricts the process of recognition, 
officially recognized religions are free to establish places of worship 
and to train clergy. In practice, religious groups that are not 
recognized also worship freely.
    The Government promoted inter-faith understanding by supporting the 
country's five major churches (Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Orthodox, 
and Kimbanguist) in establishing the National Consultations, an open 
forum to explore ways to end the war.
Religious Demography
    Approximately 50 percent of the population are Roman Catholic, 20 
percent are Protestant, and 10 percent are Muslim. The remainder 
largely practice traditional indigenous religions. There are no 
statistics available on the percentage of atheists. Minority religious 
groups include, among others, Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon).
    There are no reliable data on active participation in religious 
services. Ethnic and political differences generally are not linked to 
religious differences.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    On January 29, 1999, President Kabila promulgated a decree that 
restricts the activities of nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), 
including religious organizations, by establishing requirements for 
them; however, existing religious organizations were exempt, and the 
decree subsequently was not enforced.
    Although the Government required foreign religious groups to obtain 
the approval of the President, through the Minister of Justice, foreign 
religious groups generally operate without restriction once they 
receive approval from the Government. Many recognized churches have 
external ties, and foreign missionaries are allowed to proselytize. The 
Government generally did not interfere with foreign missionaries. 
However, foreign missionaries have not been exempt from general human 
rights abuses by security forces, such as restrictions on freedom of 
movement imposed on all persons by security force members who erect and 
man roadblocks where they solicit bribes.
    In areas under government control, there has been no known 
persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses or any other groups for practicing 
their faith in recent years. The Government does not prohibit or punish 
assembly for peaceful religious services, regardless of faith. The 
Government does not influence religious teachings to children and 
places no restriction on the distribution of religious literature.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
in government-controlled areas during the period covered by this 
report.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    While the Government is tolerant in matters of religion, some 
abuses occurred in government-controlled areas as a result of the war. 
These abuses, usually the ransacking of churches and the pilfering of 
church property, generally were the result of a lack of discipline 
among government troops.
    A government order in July 1999 prohibiting private radio stations 
from transmitting foreign radio broadcasts effectively targeted a 
Catholic radio station that was compelled to cease broadcasting 
programs of foreign origin. The target was not religious broadcasts; 
rather it was foreign programs critical of the Government.
    On September 14, 1999, security forces arrested Catherine Nzuzi, 
president of the major faction of the Mouvement Populaire de la 
Revolution (MPR) party, after she organized a Mass in memory of former 
President Mobutu on the second anniversary of his death. She was 
detained for 5 hours on charges of violating a decree on political 
activity.
    In September 1999, government security forces arrested Reverend 
Fernando Kuthino after his actions sparked street demonstrations by 
Muslims. The Reverend had converted a Muslim on television, then 
publicly burned notes that the convert had taken while studying the 
Koran. Muslims claimed that the burned verses were from the Koran. The 
Reverend never was tried, and he was released in March 2000.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who were abducted or illegally removed from the United 
States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be 
returned to the United States.
    Due to advances made in the east by military units of Rwanda and 
Uganda in support of various rebel factions, the Government lost 
control of more than half the country. It exercises little authority in 
areas east of the current battlefront. Numerous human rights groups 
reported significant abuses in these areas by the occupying troops of 
Rwanda and Uganda, as well as various rebel factions, which targeted 
Catholic clergy. These reports were confirmed by a number of 
independent sources, including the Catholic Church. Abuses reportedly 
took the form of attacks on missions, killings of priests, the rape of 
nuns, and the burning of churches. Human rights groups claimed that 
occupying troops and rebels targeted the Catholic Church as a result of 
its perceived collusion in the 1994 Tutsi genocide in Rwanda. According 
to one human rights publication, Tutsis ``show great hostility'' 
towards the Catholic Church. In the province of South Kivu, rebels of 
the RCD-Goma faction acting with Rwandan support refused to allow the 
Bishop of Bukavu to return to his diocese following a trip outside the 
province. Rebels and their Rwandan supporters forced the Bishop into 
internal exile as a result of his alleged hostility towards the 
military occupation of the province.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the major religions were amicable, with the 
National Consultations serving as a catalyst in promoting greater 
cooperation.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
    The U.S. Government criticized the forced internal exile of the 
Bishop of Bukavu, in both private discussions and public statements. On 
numerous occasions, the U.S. Government also has voiced its opposition 
to the presence of hostile foreign troops in the country. The U.S. 
Government also publicly criticized the war, and launched a number of 
diplomatic initiatives, in concert with the United Nations, to bring 
the conflict to an end.
                               __________

                         REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

    The Constitution (Fundamental Act) provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    While government policy and the generally amicable relations among 
religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion, the 
close link between certain messianic groups and opposition political 
movements at times has been a source of tension.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution (Fundamental Act) provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice. There is 
no official state religion.
Religious Demography
    Approximately half of the country's 2.6 million citizens are 
Christian; of these about 90 percent are Roman Catholic.
    There is a small Muslim community estimated at 25,000 to 50,000 
persons, most of who are immigrants from North and West Africa who work 
in commerce in urban centers.
    The remainder of the population is made up of practitioners of 
traditional indigenous religions, those who belong to various messianic 
groups, and those who practice no religion at all. A small minority of 
the Christian community practices Kimbanguism, a syncretist movement 
that originated in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. 
While retaining many elements of Christianity, Kimbanguism also 
recognizes its founder (Simon Kimbangu) as a prophet and incorporates 
African traditional beliefs, such as ancestor worship.
    Mystical or messianic practices (especially among the ethnic Lari 
population in the Pool region) have been associated with opposition 
political movements, including some elements of the armed insurrection 
in the south during 1998-1999.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations among the various religious 
communities. All organized religious groups are represented in a joint 
ecumenical council, which meets regularly.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses issues of religious freedom with a broad 
cross-section of society (including church leaders, government 
officials, and members of civil society) in the context of its overall 
promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                             COTE D'IVOIRE

    The Constitution was suspended following the December 24, 1999 coup 
d'etat. The Constitution provided for freedom of religion, as does the 
proposed new constitution, which is to be voted on in a July 
referendum; the Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally tolerant relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion; 
however, followers of traditional indigenous religions are subject to 
societal discrimination. The Government monitors minority religions for 
signs of political activity it considers subversive or dangerous.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution that was suspended following the December 24, 1999 
coup d'etat provided for freedom of religion, and the Government 
generally protected this right. The post-coup military government 
continued to respect this right and is proposing a constitution that 
provides for protection of religious freedom, which is to be voted on 
in a referendum scheduled for July 23. There is no state religion, but 
for historical and ethnic reasons the Government informally favored 
Christianity, particularly the Roman Catholic Church. Catholic Church 
leaders had a much stronger voice in government affairs than their 
Islamic counterparts, which led to feelings of disenfranchisement among 
the Muslim population. After assuming power following the coup, General 
Robert Guei indicated that one of the goals of the transition 
government was to end this favoritism and put all of the major 
religious faiths on an equal footing. In practice, the Government has 
not taken any steps to bring this about.
    In 1987-90, then-President Felix Hophuet-Boigny sponsored the 
construction in his hometown, Yamoussoukro, of the world's largest 
Catholic church, the ``Our Lady of Peace'' Basilica, which was modeled 
on St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and consecrated by the Pope. Although 
the basilica's construction was financed ostensibly by private funds, 
allegations persist that funds of the National Cocoa and Coffee Board, 
a state-owned export monopoly, were diverted for this purpose. The 
Government also paid for the construction of the Catholic cathedral in 
Abidjan, which was completed in 1985; part of the cost of building it 
also was paid by contributions that the Government required of all 
salaried workers in the country, regardless of their religious 
affiliation. The Government sponsors or finances the construction of 
shrines for groups other than the Catholic Church. It currently is 
directing the construction of the Plateau Mosque in central Abidjan and 
financing it with the help of governments or government-affiliated 
religious organizations of some largely Islamic Arab countries. A high 
government official has indicated that the Government plans soon to 
sponsor the construction of a temple for all of the country's 
Protestant denominations when resources permit.
    The Government establishes requirements for religious groups under 
a 1939 French law. All religious groups wishing to operate in the 
country must submit to the Ministry of the Interior a file including 
the group's by-laws, the names of the founding members, the date of 
founding (or date on which the founder received the revelation of his 
or her calling), the minutes of the general assembly, the names of 
members of the administrative board, and other information. The 
Interior Ministry investigates the backgrounds of the founding members 
to ascertain that the group has no politically subversive purpose. 
However, in practice, the Government's regulation of religious groups 
generally has not been unduly restrictive since 1990, when the 
Government legalized opposition political parties.
    Although nontraditional religious groups, like all public secular 
associations, are required to register with the Government, no 
penalties are imposed on a group that fails to register. In practice, 
registration can bring advantages of public recognition, invitation to 
official ceremonies and events, publicity, gifts, and school subsidies. 
No religious group has ever complained of arbitrary registration 
procedures or recognition. The Government does not register traditional 
indigenous religious groups.
    The Government grants no tax or other benefits to religious groups. 
However, some religious groups have gained some favors after individual 
negotiations. Examples include reductions in the cost of resident alien 
registration, customs exemptions on certain religious items, and, in 
some cases, privileges similar to those of diplomats. No particular 
religion is favored consistently in this manner. Occasionally, a state-
owned company grants favors to religious leaders, such as a reduction 
in airplane fare.
Religious Demography
    The published results of the most recent national census, conducted 
in 1998, indicate that Muslims make up about 38.6 percent of the 
country's population; Catholics make up 19.4 percent; Protestants, 6.6 
percent; Harrists, 1.3 percent; other Christians, 3.1 percent; 
practitioners of traditional indigenous religions, 11.9 percent; 
practitioners of other religions, 1.7 percent; and persons without 
religious preference or affiliation, 16.7 percent. Among citizens, 27.4 
percent are Muslim, 20.8 percent are Catholic, 8.2 percent are 
Protestant, 1.6 percent are Harrist, 3.4 percent are of other Christian 
affiliations, 15.4 percent practice traditional indigenous religions, 
1.9 percent practice other religions, and 20.7 percent are without 
religious affiliation. Foreigners living in the country are 70.5 
percent Muslim and 15.4 percent Catholic with small percentages 
practicing other religions.
    Muslims are found in greatest numbers in the northern half of the 
country, although due to immigration they also are becoming 
increasingly numerous in the cities of the south. In 1998 Muslims 
composed 45.5 percent of the total urban population and 33.5 percent of 
the total rural population. Catholics are found mostly in the southern, 
central, and eastern portions of the country. Practitioners of 
traditional indigenous religions are concentrated in rural areas of the 
north, west, center, and east. Protestants are concentrated in the 
central, eastern, and southwest regions. Members of the Harrist Church, 
an African Protestant denomination founded in the country in 1913 by a 
Liberian preacher named William Wade Harris, are concentrated in the 
south.
    Both political and religious affiliation tends to follow ethnic 
lines. As population growth and movement have accentuated ethnic 
distinctions between the groups of the Sahel and those of the forest 
zone, those distinctions have been sometimes expressed in terms of 
religion (e.g., northern Muslims vs. southern Christians and 
traditionalists).
    Religious groups in the country include the Adventist Church, the 
Assemblies of God, the Southern Baptist Church, Bossonism (the 
traditional religious practices of the Akan ethnic group), the 
Autonomous Church of Celestial Christianity of Oschoffa, Islam, Roman 
Catholicism, the Union of the Evangelical Church of Services and Works 
of Cote d'Ivoire, the Harrist Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints, the Protestant Methodist Church of Cote d'Ivoire, 
the Yoruba First Church, the Church of God International Missions, the 
Baptist Church Missions, the Church of the Prophet Papa Nouveau (a 
syncretistic religion founded in the country in 1937, which combines 
Christian doctrine, traditional African rituals, and practical concern 
for social, political, and economic progress for Africans), the 
Pentecostal Church of Cote d'Ivoire, the Messianic Church, the Limoudim 
of Rabbi Jesus (a small Christian group, the origins of which are not 
known), the Unification Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the 
Interdenominational Church. Many religious groups in the country are 
associated with American religious groups.
    Most of the country's many syncretistic religions are forms of 
Christianity that contain some traditional African practices and 
rituals. Many of these have been founded by Ivoirian or other African 
prophets and are organized around and dependent upon the founder's 
personality. Some emphasize faith healing or sale of sacred objects 
imbued with supernatural powers to bring health and good luck. Many 
nominal Christians and Muslims practice some aspects of traditional 
indigenous religions, especially in difficult times.
    Traditional indigenous religions, which are not registered 
officially as religions, rarely are included in official or unofficial 
lists of the country's religions. There is no generally accepted system 
of classifying the country's diverse traditional religious practices, 
which vary not only by ethnic group, but also by region, village, and 
family, as well as by gender and age group. In addition, members of the 
country's largely Christianized or Islamicized urban elites, which 
effectively control the State, generally seem disinclined to accord to 
traditional indigenous religions the social status accorded to 
Christianity and Islam. No traditional indigenous religious leader 
(except for traditional rulers, who also may perform some traditional 
religious functions) is known ever to have been invited to present New 
Year's greetings to the President or to take part in a government 
advisory council.
    Generally there has been a trend towards conversion by 
practitioners of traditional religions to Christianity and Islam. 
Missionary work, urbanization, immigration, and greater education 
levels have led to a decline in the percentage of practitioners of 
traditional religion from 37 percent in 1975 to 11.9 percent in 1998.
    Immigrants from other parts of Africa are generally at least 
nominally Muslim or Christian. The majority of foreign missionaries are 
European or American representatives of established religions, but some 
Nigerians and Congolese have set up churches. Foreign missionaries must 
meet the same requirements as any foreigner, including resident alien 
registration and identification card requirements.
    Until recently, Catholic priests tended to be better educated than 
leaders of other religions. Numerous Catholic schools were founded in 
the country in the early 1900's, during French colonial rule, and 
citizens who attended these schools generally received good educations 
and came to make up a disproportionately large part of the country's 
elites. Many senior government officials, including all three heads of 
state since independence, have been Catholics.
    The Baoule ethnic minority, which has dominated the State and the 
ruling Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire (PDCI) from independence in 
1960 until 1999, is largely Catholic, although some Baoules continue to 
practice traditional indigenous religion and a few practice Islam.
    The Government has taken steps to improve the situation of Muslims. 
However, Muslims often have had to struggle for state benefits that 
came more easily to practitioners of other religions. For example, 
Catholic and Protestant schools are regarded as official schools 
supervised by the Ministry of Education and subsidized by the 
Government. However, until 1994 Islamic schools were regarded as 
religious schools, were supervised by the Ministry of the Interior, and 
were unsubsidized even if they followed official school curriculums. 
Since 1994 Islamic schools that follow official curriculums have been 
subsidized by the Government. The Government recognized no Muslim 
religious holidays until 1974 and did not recognize all major Muslim 
religious holidays until 1994. Churches always have organized Christian 
pilgrimages without formal government supervision, but until 1993 the 
Ministry of the Interior supervised Islamic pilgrimages to Mecca (the 
Hajj).
    During 1991 the Catholic Church began to operate community radio 
stations, first in Man and later in Abidjan and Yamoussoukro, but 
Muslim efforts to gain authorization to operate similar stations were 
unsuccessful until 1999, and Muslim organizations, unlike the Catholic 
Church, did not venture to operate unlicensed radio stations. Catholic 
and Protestant radio stations were given formal approval on March 30, 
1999, after operating for months without official permission, and the 
Government granted authorization for an Islamic radio station on April 
21, 1999.
    The Government has taken positive steps to promote inter-faith 
understanding. Catholics, Muslims, and Protestants have had their own 
religious programs on national television and radio for over 20 years. 
On significant Christian and Islamic holy days, national television 
often broadcasts films on the life of the founders of those religions. 
Government officials, including the President and his religious 
advisers, make a point of appearing at major religious celebrations and 
events organized by a wide variety of faiths and groups. There is no 
government-sponsored forum for inter-faith dialog, but the Government 
often invites leaders of various religious communities (but not of 
traditional indigenous religious groups) to attend official ceremonies 
and to sit on deliberative and advisory committees.
    Religious instruction is permitted in public schools and usually 
offered after normal class hours. Most such instruction is offered by 
established Islamic, Catholic, and Protestant groups.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government monitors minority religions, to the extent of 
registering them, but does not control them closely. However, some 
citizens are alarmed by the explosive proliferation of new groups. In 
his 1999 New Year's greetings, then-President Henri Konan Bedie advised 
the public to be wary of new groups that are not clearly identified and 
warned such groups against taking advantage of the country's tradition 
of tolerance to commit acts of fraud or manipulation. In general, the 
Government closely watches some religious groups, including Islamic 
associations and minority groups, for signs of political activity that 
it considers subversive but otherwise does not monitor them.
    The Government does not prohibit links to foreign coreligionists 
but informally discourages connections with politically radical 
fundamentalist movements, such as Islamic groups based in Iran and 
Libya.
    While not a direct restriction on religious freedom, some Muslims 
believe that they are discriminated against when applying for national 
identity cards. Due to the tense political situation in the country and 
the ethnic divisions along which political party lines are drawn, 
northern Muslims sometimes are scrutinized more closely in the identity 
card application process. As these northern Muslims share names, style 
of dress, and customs with several of the country's predominantly 
Muslim neighboring countries, they sometimes are accused wrongly of 
attempting to obtain illegally nationality cards in order to vote. 
Although this is not directly a result of their religious belief, this 
treatment creates a hardship for a disproportionate number of Muslims.
    In December 1999, the new military regime requested that the 
Islamic Superior Council, an organization of imams that was seen as 
politically active and supportive of the previous regime, disband. The 
president of the council, Moustapha Diaby, did not oppose this demand, 
and the council ceased its operations. In March 2000, the Government 
allowed the council to resume its activities.
    In May 2000, the military government warned the imam leaders of the 
Muslim community to refrain from political discourse in their sermons. 
The Government claimed the imams had been jeopardizing security with 
sermons that were too politically charged. In May and June 2000, during 
travels to various regions in the country, General Guei continually 
asked imams and other Muslim leaders to stay out of politics.
    In March 2000, local governments closed Harrist churches to prevent 
an escalation of intrareligious violence (see Section II).
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. Once a year, on New Year's Eve, members of all Christian 
religious groups gather in the National Stadium in Abidjan to keep a 
nightlong vigil and pray. When serious social problems have arisen, 
simultaneous prayer ceremonies have been held in churches, temples, and 
mosques to ask for divine assistance. Kouassi-Datekro, a town in the 
Akan region in the eastern part of the country, is famous for 
ecumenical events involving simultaneous prayer services of all faiths. 
Since 1990 religious leaders from diverse groups have assembled on 
their own initiative to mediate in times of political conflict; 
however, no leaders of traditional indigenous religious groups have 
been included.
    The religious group that feels most discriminated against is the 
largest group, the country's Islamic community. Societal attitudes are 
responsible for at least some of that feeling. Since the Islamic duty 
to give alms daily may attract beggars to neighborhoods containing 
mosques, some non-Muslims have opposed construction of mosques, such as 
the new mosque in Abidjan's plateau district. Some non-Muslims also 
find the muezzins' calls to prayer annoying. A few group all Muslims in 
a common category as foreigners, fundamentalists, or terrorists. Muslim 
citizens often are treated as foreigners by their fellow citizens, 
sometimes including government officials, because most Muslims are 
members of northern ethnic groups also found in other African countries 
from which there has been substantial immigration into the country.
    Followers of traditional indigenous religions also are subject to 
societal discrimination. Many leaders of nontraditional religions, such 
as Christianity or Islam, look down on practitioners of traditional 
indigenous religions as pagans, practitioners of black magic, and 
practitioners of human sacrifice. Some Christians or Muslims refuse to 
associate with practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. The 
contents of traditional indigenous religions often are shrouded by 
secrecy mechanisms, such as exclusive initiation rites, oaths of 
silence, and taboos against writing down orally transmitted lore. 
However, there have been no reports of human sacrifice in the country 
since well before independence. Although the purported practice of 
black magic or witchcraft continues to be widely feared, it generally 
is discouraged by traditional indigenous religions, aspects of which 
commonly purport to offer protection from witchcraft. Traditional 
indigenous religions commonly involve belief in one supreme deity as 
well as lesser deities or spirits that are to be praised or appeased, 
some of whom may in some religions be believed to inhabit or otherwise 
be associated with particular places, natural objects, or man-made 
images.
    However, many practitioners of traditional indigenous religions are 
unaware of societal discrimination and have not complained. The 
foremost proponent of ``Bossonism,'' Jean Marie Adiaffi, died in 1999. 
He was organizing practitioners of traditional indigenous religions and 
demanding equal treatment for its religious leaders. No leader stepped 
forward to continue his work.
    Conflicts between and within religious groups have surfaced 
occasionally. Members of the Limoudim of Rabbi Jesus, a small Christian 
group of unknown origin, have criticized and sometimes attacked other 
Christian groups for allegedly failing to follow the teachings of 
Jesus. In 1992 a few members of the Limoudim group destroyed several 
Christian churches and tortured ministers in the Abobo district of 
Abidjan. They were tried and sentenced to 7 years' imprisonment but 
released in 1995 after receiving a presidential pardon. In January 
1998, a conflict over land erupted between Catholics and Assembly of 
God members in the Yopougon district of Abidjan. The same area was the 
scene of a land conflict between Baptists and their neighbors in August 
1998.
    The Celestial Christians are divided because of a leadership 
struggle, as are the Harrists, who have come to blows on occasion.
    In March 2000, due to the internal struggle in the Harrist Church, 
clergy leader Barthelemy Akre Yasse struck Harrist National Committee 
president Tchotche Mel Felix from the church rolls for insubordination. 
This battle for church leadership at the national level led to violent 
confrontations between church members at the local level. Local 
governments, in order to prevent an escalation in the violence, closed 
Harrist churches in which the confrontations took place.
    Prior to the coup, the Islamic leadership was fractured by 
disagreement between factions, two of which (the Superior Islamic 
Council and the Ouamma Islamic Front) were allied with the former 
ruling party, and two of which (the National Islamic Council and the 
Islamic Confederation for the Development of Cote d'Ivoire) were 
unaligned politically and had sought to create Islamic organizations 
that enjoy the same freedom from unofficial state oversight and 
guidance that Catholic organizations have long enjoyed. Following the 
overthrow of the Bedie government in December 1999, the organizations 
began to work together.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy has monitored and reported on the status of 
religious freedom, developed and maintained contacts with leaders of 
diverse religious groups, and discussed religious freedom issues with 
government officials in the overall context of the promotion of human 
rights.
    In 1997 with financial assistance from the Embassy, the Research 
Group in Democracy and Social and Economic Development of Cote d'Ivoire 
(GERDDES-CI) helped religious groups in the country to establish a 
Forum of Religious Confessions. All the main religious groups 
participated in the forum: Catholics, Muslims, various Protestant 
groups, several syncretist religious groups, and the Association of 
Traditional Priests. The Forum continued to meet throughout the period 
covered by this report.
                               __________

                                DJIBOUTI

    The Constitution, while declaring Islam to be the state religion, 
provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects 
this right in practice; however, proselytizing is discouraged.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Citizens generally are very tolerant of one another in the practice 
of their religion. However, recent converts to other religions have 
faced some discrimination in the past; there were no reports of such 
discrimination during the period covered by this report.
    U.S. embassy officials engage in a regular human rights dialog with 
government officials, which includes religious freedom issues. Embassy 
officers also meet with leaders of the religious communities.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution, while declaring Islam to be the state religion, 
provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects 
this right in practice; however, proselytizing is discouraged.
    Although Islam is the state religion, the Government imposes no 
sanctions on those who choose to ignore Islamic teachings or practice 
other faiths. The Qadi is the country's senior judge of Islamic law and 
is appointed by the Minister of Justice. The current Qadi was appointed 
in June 1999. His predecessor was named Minister of State for 
Charitable and Religious Affairs under the Ministry of Justice. This 
position was created in May 1999, when newly elected President Ismail 
Omar Guelleh formed his Cabinet and declared that Islam would be a 
central tenet of his government.
    The Government requires that religious groups be registered. There 
were no reports that the Government refused to register any religious 
groups.
Religious Demography
    Over 99 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim. There are a 
small number of Catholics, Protestants, and followers of the Baha'i 
Faith, together accounting for less than 1 percent of the population. 
The sizable foreign community supports the Roman Catholic, Protestant, 
Greek Orthodox, and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches. There are no known 
practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. Because all citizens 
officially are considered Muslims if they do not adhere to another 
faith, there are no figures available on the number of atheists in the 
country.
    Religion is not taught in public schools.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    There is no legal prohibition against proselytizing; however, 
proselytizing is discouraged. There were a few occasions when members 
of the Baha'i Faith were questioned by the police regarding possible 
proselytizing activities; however, there were no arrests.
    Foreign clergy and missionaries are permitted to perform charitable 
works and to sell religious books. A small number of foreign Christian 
missionary groups operate in the country. These groups, which focus on 
humanitarian services in the education and health sectors, reportedly 
faced no harassment during the period covered by this report. Foreign 
missionary groups are licensed by the Government to run schools.
    Islamic law based on the Koran is used only with regard to family 
matters, and is administered by the Qadi. Civil marriage is permitted 
only for non-Muslim foreigners. Muslims are required to marry in a 
religious ceremony, and non-Muslim men may only marry a Muslim woman 
after converting to Islam.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners. Although 
groups of Ethiopian Pentecostal Christians were arrested and detained 
for short periods of time in the past, there were no reports of such 
detentions during the period covered by this report. The past arrests 
reportedly were due to loud singing that disturbed neighbors, or to a 
general crackdown on illegal residents, rather than to the Ethiopians' 
religious faith.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The large presence of French Catholics and Ethiopian Orthodox 
Christians for almost a century has led to considerable familiarity and 
tolerance of other faiths by the Muslim majority. The Government 
established diplomatic relations with the Vatican in May 2000. A group 
of the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta's Missionaries of Charity was 
expected to arrive soon thereafter to work among the poor, but had not 
arrived as of June 30, 2000.
    Persons born as Catholics face no discrimination from Muslim 
relatives. In many cases, these Catholics are children or grandchildren 
of persons raised in French Catholic orphanages during the colonial 
period. In the past, recent converts to other religions have faced some 
discrimination; however, there were no reports of such discrimination 
during the period covered by this report.
    In Djiboutian Somali society, clan membership has more influence 
over a person's life than religion. Djiboutian Somalis who are 
Christians often are buried according to Islamic traditions by 
relatives who do not recognize their non-Muslim faith.
    There is no formal inter-faith dialog. The Catholic Church 
organizes an annual celebration with all the other Christian churches. 
The Qadi receives Ramadan greetings from Pope John Paul II. He only 
meets with the heads of other faiths at government-organized 
ceremonies.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Embassy officials engage in a regular humans rights dialog 
with government officials, which includes religious freedom issues.
    Embassy representatives meet with leaders and members of religious 
communities and with U.S. nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) with a 
missionary component. In addition, during the period covered by this 
report an embassy representative participated in a conference for 
Muslim religious leaders organized by the Qadi.
                               __________

                           EQUATORIAL GUINEA

    The Fundamental Law of 1995 provides for freedom of religion; 
however the Government limited this right in practice in some respects.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report despite some restrictions on 
the right of assembly; however, the Government discourages criticism by 
religious groups, restricts activities outside church premises, and one 
priest remains in detention.
    There generally are amicable relations between the various 
religious groups in the country.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government during periodic visits to Equatorial Guinea in the context 
of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The 1995 Fundamental Law provides for freedom of religion; however, 
the Government limited this right in practice by its restrictions, for 
example, on the right of assembly.
    A religious organization must be formally registered with the 
Ministry of Justice and Religion before its religious activities are 
allowed. While religious groups must be approved and registered in 
order to function legally, there were no reports during the period 
covered by this report that the Government had refused to register any 
group. However, information regarding the exact procedure for 
registering a religious denomination was not available. The Assemblies 
of God, for example, received official recognition in 1993. From 1987 
until 1993, the group was able to operate but was not recognized 
officially. The approval process usually takes several years, but such 
delay apparently is due primarily to general bureaucratic slowness and 
not the result of a clear policy designed to impede the operation of 
any religious group. The exact number of registered denominations is 
not available.
Religious Demography
    The population is approximately 93 percent Christian, 5 percent 
animist, and less than 1 percent each for Muslim, Baha'i, other 
religions, and those who are nonreligious. The principal religion is 
Roman Catholicism, dating from the Spanish colonial period, when almost 
the entire population was baptized into this faith. Of the Christian 
population, approximately 87 percent are at least nominally Catholic, 
and approximately 4.5 percent belong to Protestant denominations. In 
practice the actual figure for tribal religions is likely much higher; 
moreover, many baptized Catholics reportedly still follow traditional 
beliefs. There is no known organized worship in large parts of the 
country, in particular in the center and north of the mainland and on 
the smaller islands. The ethnic minorities, such as the Ngumba, Yaka, 
Puku, and Benga have no known organized religious congregations.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government and President Teodoro Obiang Nguema's ruling 
Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) have reacted defensively 
to any criticism. They prefer that religious groups stay out of 
politics and refrain from criticism of the Government and its 
leadership. The Government requires permission for any activities 
outside church walls, but in practice this nominal requirement does not 
appear to be a hindrance to organized religious groups. After the 
January 1998 coup attempt, all religious groups were summoned by the 
authorities to assemble in an ecumenical meeting in February 1998 at 
the stadium in the capital to endorse a public profession against 
violence. Reportedly, no signed agreement resulted, and there was no 
communique issued from the meeting.
    Religious study is required in schools and is usually, but not 
exclusively, Catholic. The Government generally allows preaching, 
religious teaching, education, and practice by believers. Missionaries 
work throughout the country, generally without impediment, including 
several dozen American missionaries and their dependents. However, the 
Government restricted the activities of the Catholic Church.
    In July 1998, the Archbishop of Malabo, Laureano Ekua Obama, stated 
publicly that the Government now requires Catholic priests to obtain 
government permission before celebrating Mass, and commented that the 
Government does this because the Church repeatedly has denounced human 
rights violations, social injustice, and corruption in the country. The 
Archbishop also stated that government harassment made it very 
difficult to be a Catholic priest in the country. Nonetheless, a 1992 
law includes a stated official preference towards the Catholic Church 
and the Reform Church of Equatorial Guinea due to their traditional 
roots and well-known influence in the social and cultural life of the 
populace. For example, a Roman Catholic mass is normally part of any 
major ceremonial function such as the October 12 national day.
    The Government relaxed some restrictions on religious activities by 
foreign missionaries in 1996. Missionaries in Bata and Malabo reported 
little government interference in their work. However, in January 1998 
in Bata, the largest town on the mainland, security forces broke up a 
religious revival conducted by a popular European evangelist and 
expelled him from the country. According to several sources, the 
governor of Bata and the police chief expelled the evangelist and his 
group the following day in order to take possession of the evangelist's 
vehicles, sound system, and other equipment. Diplomatic intervention by 
a number of foreign governments allowed the evangelist to depart with 
his vehicles.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In February 1998, security forces arrested a priest, Father Eduardo 
Losoha Belope--a member of the Bubi ethnic group and president of the 
Malabo chapter of the Catholic nongovernmental organization, Caritas--
in connection with the January 21, 1998 revolt. Father Belope still is 
being held and was one of the Bubi prisoners transferred in March 2000 
from Bioko Island to Evinayong on the mainland.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There generally are amicable relations between the various 
religious groups in the country. Some religious groups believe that 
they face societal pressures within their regions. However, no specific 
incidents or violence stemming from religious discrimination have been 
reported, and such concerns may reflect ethnic or individual as much as 
religious differences.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon maintains contact with 
religious groups, especially American missionaries in the country, and 
monitors any religious initiatives during periodic visits. During the 
period covered by this report, embassy staff met with various religious 
leaders, including members of the Catholic hierarchy, Protestant 
missionaries, and religiously affiliated nongovernmental organizations.
                               __________

                                ERITREA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government restricts this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The Government bans religious organizations from involvement in 
politics and restricts the right of religious media to comment on 
political matters. The Government discourages proselytizing by members 
of one faith among adherents of another and also discourages foreign 
religious groups and nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) from 
proselytizing, as it believes that this could create unnecessary 
friction in the delicate balance between the Muslim and Christian 
populations. The Government continued to harass, arrest, detain, and 
discriminate against members of the small community of Jehovah's 
Witnesses. Citizens generally are very tolerant of one another in the 
practice of their religion; however, societal attitudes toward 
Jehovah's Witnesses are the exception to this widespread tolerance.
    The U.S. Embassy meets regularly with leaders of the religious 
community and the Government's director of religious affairs. Embassy 
officers have raised the case of Jehovah's Witnesses with government 
officials.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government restricts this right in practice. The Constitution provides 
for the freedom to practice any religion and to ``manifest such 
practice,'' and Islam and Christianity are practiced widely and 
tolerated throughout the country with persons free to worship at the 
mosque or church of their choice; however, the Government continued to 
harass, arrest, detain, and discriminate against members of the small 
community of Jehovah's Witnesses.
    The Government does not require religious groups to register. 
However, because the Government owns all land, any religious 
organization that seeks facilities for worship other than private homes 
must seek government approval to build such facilities. There were no 
reports that the Government refused to approve the use or construction 
of facilities by any religious organization. Religious organizations, 
including religious NGO's, do not receive duty free privileges, 
although they sometimes are allowed to import items under the reduced 
duty structure used for corporations. The Government prohibits 
political activity by religious groups, and the Government's 
Directorate of Religious Affairs in the Ministry of Local Government 
monitors religious compliance with this proscription against political 
activity.
Religious Demography
    Although reliable statistics are not available, approximately 50 
percent of the population are Sunni Muslim and approximately 40 percent 
are Orthodox Christian. The population also includes a small number of 
Eastern Rite and Roman Catholics (5 percent), Protestants (2 percent), 
smaller numbers of Seventh-Day Adventists, and less than 1,500 members 
of Jehovah's Witnesses. A small minority, perhaps 2 percent, practices 
traditional indigenous religions. Also present in very small numbers 
are practicing Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and Baha'is. Generally, the 
eastern and western lowlands are predominantly Muslims, and the 
highlands are predominantly Christian. There are very few atheists.
    Some foreign missionaries operate in the country, including 
representatives of Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim faiths. There also 
are several international religious NGO's that provide humanitarian 
aid, including Caritas, Dutch Interchurch Aid, Lutheran Church Aid, and 
the Mufti's Relief Organization, the relief arm of the Muslim religion.
    The Government's Directorate of Religious Affairs in the Ministry 
of Local Government encourages cooperation and inter-faith dialog. The 
Directorate helps coordinate interdenominational relations among the 
four major religious groups (Muslim, Orthodox Christian, Catholic, and 
Protestant).
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government discourages proselytizing by members of one faith 
among adherents of another and also discourages foreign religious 
groups and NGO's from proselytizing, as it believes that this could 
create unnecessary friction in the delicate balance between the Muslim 
and Christian populations.
    In a 1995 proclamation, the Government described specific 
guidelines on the role of religion and religion-affiliated NGO's in 
development and government, stating that development, politics, and 
public administration are the sole responsibility of the Government and 
citizens.
    The 1995 Proclamation bans religious organizations from involvement 
in politics and restricts the right of religious media to comment on 
political matters. Pursuant to the 1995 proclamation, religious 
organizations are permitted to fund, but not initiate or implement, 
development projects; however, this proclamation was not enforced in 
practice--several religious organizations executed small-scale 
development projects without government interference. The proclamation 
also set out rules governing relations between religious organizations 
and foreign sponsors.
    Authorities informed all religious organizations in April 1998 that 
all schools run by religious denominations would be incorporated into 
the public school system. At the time it was not made clear whether the 
clerical authorities would continue to administer the curriculum with 
government oversight or whether the school faculty would be absorbed 
into the Ministry of Education. However, no action was taken to 
implement this initiative because of the outbreak of the border 
conflict with Ethiopia. In January 1998, the Government decreed that 
religiously affiliated organizations were prohibited from running 
kindergartens; however, this decree was never carried out. According to 
officials in the Religious Affairs Office, the Government is expected 
to allow religious schools to operate independently as long as they 
adhere to a standard curriculum.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Jehovah's Witnesses have several churches and members are not 
barred from meeting in private homes; however, the Government continued 
to harass, arrest, detain, and discriminate against members of the 
small community of Jehovah's Witnesses. In 1994 the Government revoked 
the trading licenses of some members of Jehovah's Witnesses and 
dismissed most of those who worked in the civil service. This 
governmental action resulted in economic, employment, and travel 
difficulties for many members of Jehovah's Witnesses, especially former 
civil servants and businessmen. In April 1997, the Government labor 
office issued a form to all employers in Asmara and the surrounding 
area requesting information on any government personnel who were 
members of Jehovah's Witnesses. In addition to these measures, members 
of Jehovah's Witnesses also often are denied identification cards, exit 
visas, trading licenses, and government housing unless they hide their 
religion.
    Members of Jehovah's Witnesses have refused universally on 
religious grounds to participate in national service or to vote. This 
has spurred widespread criticism that members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
collectively were shirking their civic duty. Some Muslims also have 
objected to universal national service because of the requirement that 
women perform military duty. Although persons from other religious 
groups, including Muslims, reportedly have been imprisoned for failure 
to participate in national service, only members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
have been subject to dismissal from the civil service, had their 
trading licenses revoked, and been denied passports for this reason.
    In 1998 several members of Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested for 
failure to comply with national service laws and some were tried, 
although there is no information available regarding the verdicts or 
sentences in these cases. In March 1999, representatives of Jehovah's 
Witnesses reported that three members of Jehovah's Witnesses had been 
detained without trial or charge for more than 4 years, allegedly for 
failing to participate in national service. The maximum penalty for 
refusing to do national service is only 3 years.
    Ministry of Justice officials deny that any members of Jehovah's 
Witnesses were held without charges, although they acknowledge that 
some members of Jehovah's Witnesses and a number of Muslims are in jail 
serving sentences for convictions on charges of evading national 
service. The Government does not excuse individuals who object to 
national service for reasons of conscience, nor does the Government 
allow alternative service. There is no indication that any persons are 
detained or imprisoned solely because of their religious beliefs or 
practices; however, the Government has singled out members of Jehovah's 
Witnesses for harsher treatment than that received by members of other 
faiths for similar actions.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Citizens generally are very tolerant of one another in the practice 
of their religion. Mosques and Christian churches of all orders coexist 
throughout the country, although Islam tends to predominate in the 
lowlands and Christianity in the highlands.
    In Asmara Christians and Muslim holidays are respected by all 
religions. Some holidays are celebrated jointly.
    In 1999 leaders of the Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Muslim 
faiths created Good Deeds in Unity, an organization to help ethnic 
Eritrean expellees in Eritrea, Eritreans displaced by the war, and 
other needy persons in Eritrea. This organization works with the 
government relief agency, the Eritrean Relief and Refugee Affairs 
Commission.
    Societal attitudes toward Jehovah's Witnesses are the exception to 
widespread religious tolerance. Members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
generally are disliked because of their refusal to participate in the 
independence referendum in 1993 and to perform national service, a 
refusal that is widely seen as unpatriotic.
    Church leaders of most denominations, in particular, leaders of the 
Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Islamic, and Protestant denominations, 
meet routinely and engage in ongoing efforts to foster cooperation and 
understanding between religions, with the major exception of Jehovah's 
Witnesses. Leaders of the four major religious organizations meet 
routinely and enjoy excellent inter-faith relations. In July 2000, in 
Oslo, Norway, leaders, these leaders met with their Ethiopian 
counterparts for the fourth time in an ecumenical peace effort to 
resolve the Eritrea-Ethiopia conflict.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy meets regularly with leaders of the religious 
community and the Government's Director of Religious Affairs.
    The U.S. Ambassador and other embassy officers have raised the 
special case of Jehovah's Witnesses with government officials in the 
President's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the High Court, 
the Ministry of Justice, and in media interviews.
                               __________

                                ETHIOPIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, on 
occasion local authorities infringed on this right.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    In general government policy contributes to the free practice of 
religion. However, Muslim leaders complained that public school 
authorities sometimes interfered with their free practice of Islam. 
Protestant groups occasionally complain that local officials 
discriminate against them when seeking land for churches and 
cemeteries. While the relationship among religions in society is 
generally amicable, there continued to be pockets of interreligious 
tension and criticism between followers of evangelical and Pentecostal 
churches, on the one hand, and Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, on the 
other.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights. The U.S. Embassy meets regularly with the leaders of all of the 
religious communities.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, on 
occasion local authorities infringed on this right. The Constitution 
requires the separation of church and state.
    The Government requires that religious groups be registered. 
Religious institutions, like nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), are 
registered with the Ministry of Justice, and must renew their 
registration every year. Unlike NGO's, religious groups are not subject 
to a rigorous registration process. Under current law, a religious 
organization that undertakes development activities must register its 
development wing separately as an NGO.
    Religious groups are not accorded duty-free status. Most religious 
groups, with the exception of Jehovah's Witnesses, are given free 
government land for churches, schools, hospitals, and cemeteries; 
however, the title to the land remains with the Government, and the 
land, other than that used for prayer houses or cemeteries, can be 
taken back at any time. Religious groups, like private individuals or 
businesses, must apply to regional and local governments for land 
allocation. An inter-faith effort is underway to promote revision of 
the law since it affects the duty-free status of religious groups.
Religious Demography
    Over 40 percent of the population adhere to the Ethiopian Orthodox 
Church (EOC), the single largest religious group. The EOC claims 50 
percent of the country's total population of 61.7 million, or more than 
31 million adherents, and 110,405 churches. The EOC is predominant in 
the northern regions of Tigray and Amhara. Approximately 40 percent of 
the population are Muslim, although many Muslims claim that the actual 
percentage is higher. Islam is most prevalent in the Somali and Afar 
regions, as well as in parts of Oromia. Evangelical and Pentecostal 
Protestantism are the fastest growing faiths and now constitute more 
than 10 percent of the population. According to the Evangelical Church 
Fellowship, there are 7.4 million Protestants, although this figure may 
be on the high side. Established Protestant churches such as Mekane 
Yesus and Kale Hiwot are strongest in the Southern Nations, 
Nationalities, and People's Region (SNNPR), western and central Oromia, 
and in urban areas around the country. Roman Catholics, animists, and 
other traditional indigenous religions make up most of the remaining 
population. There are very few atheists.
    In Addis Ababa and western Gondar in the Amhara region there are 
very small concentrations of Ethiopian Jews (Falashas) and those who 
claim that their ancestors were forced to convert from Judaism to 
Ethiopian Orthodoxy (Feles Mora). Approximately 3,000 Feles Mora 
migrated voluntarily from the western Amhara region to Addis Ababa in 
1991 at the time of ``Operation Solomon,'' when a large number of 
Falashas were airlifted to Israel. The Feles Mora also seek immigration 
to Israel. The number of Feles Mora in the country has grown to 
approximately 9,000. Israeli officials evaluate the Feles Mora 
immigration claims on a case-by-case basis and estimate that 
approximately 20 percent of the Feles Mora eventually may be able to 
immigrate under Israel's law of return. In June 1999, the Israeli 
Government announced that 3,500 Falashas requesting citizenship would 
be airlifted from Quara, Ethiopia to Israel. All of the eligible 
Falashas in Quara left for Israel by December 31, 1999.
    There are more than 6,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in the country. When 
the Government began deporting Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean 
origin in 1998, it decided that Jehovah's Witnesses of Eritrean origin, 
who might face religious persecution in Eritrea, were not to be subject 
to deportation.
    Although precise data are not available, active participation in 
religious services is high throughout the country.
    A large number of foreign missionary groups operate in the country, 
including Catholic and American Protestant missionaries. Protestant 
organizations, operating under the umbrella of the 12-member 
Evangelical Church Fellowship of Ethiopia, sponsor or support 
missionary work: the Baptist Bible Fellowship, the New Covenant Baptist 
Church, the Baptist Evangelical Association, Mekane Yesus Church 
(associated with the Lutheran Church), Kale Hiwot Church (associated 
with Sim-Service in Mission), Hiwot Berhan Church (associated with the 
Swedish Philadelphia Church), Genet Church (associated with the Finnish 
Mission), Lutheran-Presbyterian Church of Ethiopia, Emnet Christos, 
Muluwongel (Full Gospel) Church, and Messerete Kristos (associated with 
the Mennonite Mission). There is also missionary activity among 
Pentecostals and Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints.
    The Government officially recognizes both Christian and Muslim 
holidays, and has mandated a 2-hour lunch break on Fridays to allow 
Muslims to go to a mosque to pray. The Government also agreed to a 
request from Muslim students at Addis Ababa Commercial College to delay 
the start of afternoon classes until 1:30 p.m. to permit them to 
perform afternoon prayers at a nearby mosque.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government does not issue work visas to foreign religious 
workers unless they are attached to the development wing of a religious 
organization.
    Evangelical leaders have complained of strict regulations on the 
importation of Bibles, as well as heavy customs duty on Bibles and 
other religious articles; however, Bibles and religious articles are 
subject to the same customs duty as all imported books and most 
imported items.
    Muslim leaders complained that public school authorities sometimes 
interfered with their free practice of Islam. Certain public school 
teachers in the SNNPR, Addis Ababa, and in the Amhara region objected 
to Muslim schoolgirls covering their heads with scarves while at 
school. In September 1999, Muslim girls who had boycotted classes in 
Woldea in the Amhara region over the issue of wearing headscarves to 
class, returned to classes with their scarves.
    The Government has interpreted the constitutional provision for 
separation of church and state to mean that religious instruction is 
not permitted in schools, whether they are public or private schools. 
Catholic, Orthodox, evangelical, and Muslim-owned and operated schools 
are not permitted to teach religion as a course of study. Most private 
schools teach a morals course as part of the school's curriculum, and 
the Government Education Bureau in Addis Ababa has complained that such 
courses are not free of religious influence. Churches are permitted to 
have Sunday schools, the Koran is taught at mosques, and public schools 
permit the formation of clubs, including those of a religious nature.
    Protestant groups occasionally complain that local officials 
discriminate against them when seeking land for churches and 
cemeteries. Evangelical leaders complain that because they are 
perceived as ``newcomers'' they remain at a disadvantage compared with 
the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Supreme Islamic Council when it 
comes to the allocation of land. In January 1998, the Government 
returned evangelical church property that was seized under the Mengistu 
regime (including the Mekane Yesus Church headquarters, which served as 
Federal Police headquarters until 1997); however, the Government still 
has not returned other properties to the Mekane Yesus Church, including 
three student hostels and two schools. The Government also has not 
returned to the Seventh-Day Adventists properties taken by the prior 
regime, including two hospitals.
    In past years there were instances of conflict among religious 
groups, most noticeably between Orthodox Christians, on the one hand, 
and evangelicals and Pentecostals, on the other. While in past years 
some Pentecostals and evangelicals complained that the police failed to 
protect them adequately during instances of interreligious conflict, 
there were no complaints of inadequate police protection during the 
period covered by this report. In most interreligious disputes, the 
Government maintains neutrality and tries to be an impartial 
arbitrator.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Despite the country's broad level of religious freedom and 
tolerance for established faiths, there were instances of open conflict 
among religious groups before 1998, most noticeably between Ethiopian 
Orthodox Christians on the one hand, and Pentecostals and evangelicals 
on the other, and there continued to be pockets of interreligious 
tension and criticism during the period covered by this report. Newer 
faiths such as Jehovah's Witnesses and Pentecostals have encountered 
overt opposition from the public. Muslims and Orthodox Christians 
complain about proselytization by Pentecostals and Jehovah's Witnesses. 
Ethiopian Orthodox leaders complain that sometimes Protestants fail to 
respect Orthodox holy days and Orthodox customs. Muslims complain that 
some Pentecostal preachers disparage Islam in their services. There 
were complaints by Muslim leaders that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church's 
desire to ``show supremacy'' sometimes caused irritation in the 
regions. There are credible reports that the bodies of non-Orthodox 
Christians have been disinterred from Orthodox cemeteries and left 
exposed outside the cemetery grounds. In past years, Protestant and 
Pentecostal leaders have complained that, on occasion, Orthodox or 
evangelical adherents interrupted Protestant and Pentecostal religious 
meetings; however, there were no such reports during the period covered 
by this report. Orthodox and evangelical adherents attempted on a few 
occasions to prevent the construction of Protestant and Pentecostal 
churches in predominately Orthodox or evangelical areas.
    Nevertheless in most sections of the country Orthodox Christians 
and Muslims participate in each other's religious observances, and 
there is tolerance for intermarriage and conversion in certain areas, 
most notably in Welo, as well as in urban areas throughout the country. 
In the capital, Addis Ababa, persons of different faiths often live 
side-by-side. Most urban areas reflect a mixture of all religious 
denominations. Longstanding evangelical Protestant denominations, 
particularly the Mekane Yesus Church and Kale Hiwot Churches, provide 
social services such as health care and education to nonmembers as well 
as to members.
    In April 2000, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the 
chairman of the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, the 
Archbishop of the Ethiopian Church and the president of the Ethiopian 
Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus issued a joint statement appealing to 
the international community for immediate humanitarian assistance to 
victims of drought in the country.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights. The U.S. Embassy meets regularly with the leaders of all of the 
religious communities. Embassy officers made an active effort to visit 
all of the religious groups and religious NGO's during the period 
covered by this report. Embassy officers met with the Supreme Islamic 
Council, Sim-Serving in Mission, Mekane Yesus, Jehovah's Witnesses, the 
Catholic Church, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and the Ethiopian 
Orthodox Church during the period covered by this report.
    The U.S. Ambassador held a series of meetings with religious 
leaders, including the Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarch and the president 
of the Supreme Islamic Council to discuss their responses to the HIV/
AIDS epidemic. The Ambassador also met with the Vatican Papel Nuncio, 
the executive director of the Mekane Yesus Church, the director of Sim-
Serving in Mission, and the president of the Seventh-Day Adventist 
Church to discuss the status of religious freedom and development 
issues. The U.S. Ambassador remains in regular contact with the 
American Joint Distribution Committee to discuss the situation of the 
country's Jewish population.
    In 1998 the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) 
entered into a 5-year agreement with the Ethiopian Orthodox Development 
Assistance Authority to provide food commodities and grants to support 
food security programs in four areas. The value of the program during 
the period covered by this report was approximately $4,700,000.
    In August 1999, USAID awarded the Ethiopian Orthodox Church a 
$350,000 grant to support programs to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS. 
The development arm of Mekane Yesus Church has been a USAID contractor 
since 1996. In December 1999, USAID renewed the contract with Mekane 
Yesus and increased the amount to $258,000 annually. In May 2000, USAID 
awarded the Supreme Islamic Council a $145,000 grant to support 
programs to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS.
                               __________

                                 GABON

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. A 1983 decree 
banning Jehovah's Witnesses, which the Government promulgated on the 
grounds that Jehovah's Witnesses allegedly do not adequately protect 
individuals who might dissent from the group's views, remained in 
effect; however, the Government did not enforce the ban.
    The Ministry of the Interior maintains an official registry of some 
religious groups; however, it does not register traditional religious 
groups. The Government does not require religious groups to register 
but recommends that they do so in order to assemble with full 
constitutional protection. No financial or tax benefit is conferred by 
registration. The Government has refused to register approximately 10 
religious groups, including Jehovah's Witnesses. In practice, the 
Government allows Jehovah's Witnesses to assemble and practice their 
religion. In addition, the Government has made uncorroborated claims 
that it permits Jehovah's Witnesses to proselytize.
Religious Demography
    Major religions practiced in the country include Christianity 
(Catholicism and Protestantism), Islam, and traditional indigenous 
religions. Government statistics indicate that about 60 percent of the 
country's citizens practice Christianity, almost 40 percent practice 
traditional indigenous religions, and only 1 percent practice Islam. 
However, Muslims make up a much larger proportion of the total 
population, especially among noncitizens. Moreover, many persons 
practice both elements of Christianity and elements of traditional 
indigenous religions. It is estimated that approximately 73 percent of 
the population practice at least some elements of Christianity, about 
12 percent practice Islam, about 10 percent practice traditional 
indigenous religions exclusively, and about 5 percent practice no 
religion.
    Noncitizens constitute approximately 20 percent of the population. 
A significant portion of these noncitizens come from countries in West 
Africa with large Muslim populations. Approximately 80 to 90 percent of 
the 12 percent of the total population who practice Islam are 
foreigners. However, the country's President is a member of the Muslim 
minority.
    Islamic, Catholic, and Protestant denominations operate primary and 
secondary schools in the country. These schools are required to 
register with the Ministry of Education, which is charged with ensuring 
that these religious schools meet the same standards required for 
public schools. The Government does not contribute funds to private 
schools, whether religious or secular.
    There are no media operated by religious denominations, although 
several radio and television stations apportion some airtime for 
religious programming.
    The Government promotes inter-faith relations by facilitating 
meetings of leaders of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy and the 
Islamic Council. Such meetings are held periodically, usually once 
every year or two.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned 
to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the different religions are very amicable. There 
were no reports of interreligious violence or intrareligious incidents 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were occasional incidents of violence in which practitioners 
of some traditional indigenous religions inflicted bodily harm on other 
persons. However, the details of these incidents are uncertain. The 
Ministry of the Interior maintained that violence and bodily harm to 
others in the practice of a traditional religion is a criminal offense 
and is prosecuted vigorously. Media reports suggested that this was 
true; however, little information about such prosecutions or their 
results is available.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of its overall dialog and policy of 
promoting human rights. Embassy officials have met with leaders of the 
Catholic Church, as well as the Islamic Superior Council. Contacts are 
maintained with the Ministry of Interior to discuss the general state 
of religion in the country. The Embassy also maintains close contacts 
with various Christian missionary groups in the country.
                               __________

                               THE GAMBIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    The Government does not require religious groups to register. 
Religiously based nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) are subject to 
the same registration and licensing requirements as other NGO's.
Religious Demography
    Muslims constitute over 90 percent of the population. The main 
Muslim branches are Tijaniyah, Qadiriyah, Muridiyah, and Ahmadiyah. 
Except for the Ahmadiyah, all branches pray together at common mosques. 
An estimated 9 percent of the population practice Christianity and 1 
percent practice animism. The Christian community is predominantly 
Roman Catholic; there also are several Protestant denominations, 
including Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, 
Jehovah's Witnesses, and various small Protestant evangelical 
denominations.
    The Government permits and does not limit religious instruction in 
schools. Bible and Koranic studies are provided in both public and 
private schools throughout the country without government restriction 
or interference. Religious instruction in public schools is provided at 
government expense, but is not mandatory.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government still refuses to allow the imam of the largest 
mosque in Brikama to lead prayers at the mosque, both as a result of a 
1998 dispute over construction work at a mosque and due to pressure 
from his opponents in the community. The High Court ruled in favor of 
the imam in February 1999 and acquitted him of charges of destruction 
of property. However, the Government has appealed to the Supreme Court; 
the appeal remained pending at mid-2000.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities. Intermarriage between members of different religious 
groups is legal and socially acceptable.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom with the Government in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                 GHANA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, on at 
least one occasion local government officials restricted this right. 
The Government does not always prosecute those responsible for 
religious violence.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report. In an effort to improve 
societal respect for religious freedom during the period covered by 
this report, the Government was more proactive in addressing the 
management of religious conflicts than in previous years.
    The Government assisted in mediating interreligious disputes. While 
tension persists between the Christian community and traditional 
authorities over the annual ban on drumming in the ethnic Ga 
traditional area, both groups agreed to exercise restraint; there were 
no reports of violence during the spring 2000 annual ban. Despite laws 
banning the practice, a form of religious slavery at trokosi shrines 
exists on a limited scale. Government officials supported the forced 
polio vaccination of children in a local church. Police prevented 
worshipers from attending a church service conducted by a Catholic 
priest who was performing unorthodox ``healing.'' Isolated incidents of 
violent conflict between different religious groups led to injuries and 
property damage. There were no reports of intra-Muslim clashes during 
the period covered by this report.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. The U.S. Embassy has supported civil society efforts to 
address religious freedom issues.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. However, the 
Government does not always prosecute those responsible for religiously 
motivated attacks. For example, none of those who attacked churches 
during the 1999 annual ban on drumming (see Section II) were arrested 
or charged with an offense. Police authorities said that pursuing the 
cases only would exacerbate tensions. No suspects were charged in the 
firebombing of a Christian charismatic church in December 1996 and 
March 1998. The cases of those arrested following intra-Muslim clashes 
in Wenchi and Kumasi in 1998 are pending with the attorney general.
    Religious institutions that wish formal recognition are required to 
register with the Registrar General's Department. This is a formality 
only. Most traditional religions, with the exception of the Afrikania 
Mission, do not register. Formally recognized religions receive some 
tax relief. However, beyond a certain point the institutions are 
required to pay tax. In 1989 during the Provisional National Defense 
Council (PNDC) regime, which ruled the country from 1981 to 1992, a law 
requiring the registration of religious bodies was passed in an effort 
to regulate churches. The Ghana Council of Churches interpreted this 
law as contradicting the concept of religious freedom in the country. 
The PNDC repealed the law in 1992.
Religious Demography
    About 40 percent of the country's estimated population of 18 
million are at least nominally Christian. Christian denominations 
include Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, Mennonite, Evangelical 
Presbyterian, Presbyterian, African Methodist Episcopal Zionist, 
Christian Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran, F'eden, numerous charismatic 
faiths, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), 
Seventh-Day Adventist, Pentecostal, Baptist, and the Society of 
Friends. Christianity often includes an overlay of traditional beliefs.
    About 30 percent of the population adhere to traditional indigenous 
religions or other religions. These religions include a belief in a 
supreme being, referred to by the Akan ethnic group as Nyame or by the 
Ewe ethnic group as Mawu, and lesser gods who act as intermediaries 
between the supreme being and man on earth. Veneration of ancestors 
also is a characteristic, as they too provide a link between the 
supreme being and the living and even may be reincarnated at times. The 
religious leaders of those sharing these diverse beliefs commonly are 
referred to as priests and are trained in the arts of healing and 
divination. These priests typically operate shrines to the supreme 
deity or to one of the lesser gods, relying upon the donations of the 
public to maintain the shrine and for their own maintenance.
    About 25 percent of the population are Muslim. Three principal 
branches of Islam are represented in the country: the orthodox Sunnis 
and Tijanis, and the less orthodox Ahmadis. The Shi'a branch virtually 
is absent from the country's Islamic community.
    Other religions include the Baha'i Faith, Buddhism, Judaism, 
Hinduism, Shintoism, Ninchiren Shoshu Soka Gakkai, Sri Sathya Sai Baba 
Sera, Sat Sang, Eckanker, the Divine Light Mission, Hare Krishna, 
Rastafarianism, and other international faiths, as well as some 
separatist or spiritual churches or cults, which include elements of 
Christianity and traditional beliefs such as magic and divination. A 
new practice has emerged called ``Zetahil,'' which combines elements of 
Christianity and Islam. Some consider the ethnic Ga tradition to be a 
religion (see Section II).
    There are no statistics for the percentage of atheists. Atheism, as 
such, does not have a strong presence, as most persons have some 
spiritual and traditional beliefs.
    The majority of the Muslim population is concentrated in the urban 
centers of Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tamale, and Wa. The 
followers of the more traditional religions mainly dwell in the rural 
areas of the country. Christians live throughout the country.
    Reportedly, only 1.9 million of those persons who profess the 
Christian faith actually attend church. However, this figure appears to 
be lower than the actual number of persons who attend services.
    Religions considered to be ``foreign'' include the Baha'i Faith, 
Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Ninchiren Shoshu Soka Gakkai, Sri Sathya 
Sai Baba Sera, Sat Sang, Eckanker, the Divine Light Mission, Hare 
Krishna, and Rastafarianism. The Government neither monitors nor 
advises these organizations.
    Foreign missionary groups, including Catholic, Methodist, 
Presbyterian, Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, and Mormon groups, 
operated throughout the country with a minimum of formal requirements 
or restrictions.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    On February 20, 2000, the Ho district (Volta region) chief 
executive led a joint operation with police and health personnel to 
immunize the children at an Apostolic Faith of Kpalexose (``Well-Rooted 
Faith'' in the Ewe language) church, a local church founded in 1931, 
against poliomyelitis. Church members consistently have refused 
immunizations on the grounds that their faith forbids the use of 
orthodox medicine. Police surrounded the church during worship services 
and health personnel administered the vaccine. It was reported that 155 
children up to age 5 received the vaccine. The community reportedly 
supported the overriding of individual religious convictions as being 
in the greater national interest of eradicating polio.
    The Catholic Church in the archdiocese of Accra officially 
suspended a priest for conducting unorthodox ``healing'' services. His 
superiors called his actions a failure to comply with his vows of 
obedience and a lack of responsibility and respect toward his 
superiors--especially the Bishop. When the accused priest was 
conducting one of these healing services, the gates to the cathedral 
were locked, and police personnel prevented worshipers from entering 
the church premises.
    The Government requires that all students in public schools up to 
the equivalent of senior secondary school level attend a daily 
``assembly'' or devotional service; however, in practice this 
regulation is not always enforced. This is a Christian service and 
includes the recital of The Lord's Prayer, a Bible reading, and a 
blessing. Students at the senior secondary school level are required to 
attend a similar assembly three times a week. Students attending 
boarding school are required to attend a nondenominational service on 
Sundays.
    Government employees, including the President, are required to take 
an oath on taking office. However, this oath can be either religious or 
secular, depending on the wishes of the person taking the oath.
    The Government took some steps to promote inter-faith 
understanding. At government meetings and receptions there usually is a 
multidenominational invocation. Often religious leaders from various 
faiths are present.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Although the Constitution prohibits slavery, religious slavery--
trokosi--exists on a limited scale. In June 1998, Parliament passed and 
the President signed legislation to ban the practice of trokosi in 
comprehensive legislation to protect women and children's rights. Human 
rights activists believe that the goal of eradicating the trokosi 
practice is attainable with the new law; however, the practice persists 
(see Section II).
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    The Government was more proactive in addressing the management of 
religious conflicts. The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council 
conducted a workshop on managing religious conflicts in April 2000, 
several weeks before the annual ban on drumming (May 8 to June 8), 
which resulted in a workable compromise between religious and 
traditional leaders. The participants agreed that in 2000, drumming 
should be subdued and confined inside churches, in order for the 
traditionalists and Christians each to practice their beliefs 
unhindered and preclude a repeat of the spring 1999 violence. Also in 
April 2000, the National Commission for Civic Education held an inter-
faith forum to address religious conflict. Discussion centered on the 
idea that freedom of worship must be preserved, and religious groups 
therefore should respect each other's religious beliefs and practices. 
There were no reports of violence during spring 2000. In May 2000, the 
Upper West Regional Coordinating Council resolved a dispute between 
five Pentecostal churches and landowners in Jirapa (see Section II). 
During a Muslim celebration, a deputy minister of education appealed to 
citizens not to use religion and mode of dress to define citizenship.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There generally are amicable relations between the various 
religious communities, and spokesmen for these communities often 
advocate tolerance toward different religions. Debate continued over 
religious worship versus traditional practices and respect for the 
rights and customs of others in a diverse society.
    During the period covered by this report, there was tension between 
practitioners of the ethnic Ga (the Ga are the original inhabitants of 
Accra) tradition (which some consider to be a religion) and members of 
some charismatic churches over the annual ban by Ga traditional leaders 
on drumming and noise-making prior to the Ga ``Homowo'' (harvest) 
festival. Traditionalists believed that their time-honored beliefs 
should be accorded due respect, while some Christians resented the 
imposition of bans, which they believed infringed on their right to 
worship as they pleased.
    Three incidents of violence were reported during the 1999 ban on 
drumming (see Section I). On May 15, May 29, and May 30, 1999, groups 
of men attacked churches that were not observing the drumming ban. Some 
church equipment and money was stolen, and a church facility was 
vandalized. There were some minor injuries but no fatalities. There 
were no reports of violence during the May 8 to June 8, 2000 ban. One 
chieftancy dispute in the La district of the Ga traditional area was 
resolved through the intervention of President Rawlings, before 
violence erupted.
    Although the Constitution prohibits slavery, religious slavery 
exists on a limited scale. Trokosi, a traditional practice found among 
the Ewe ethnic group and primarily in the Volta region, is an 
especially severe human rights abuse and a flagrant violation of 
women's and children's rights. It is a system in which a young girl, 
usually under the age of 10 years, is given by her family as a slave to 
a fetish shrine for offenses allegedly committed by a member of the 
girl's family. The belief is that, if someone in the family has 
committed a crime, such as stealing, members of the family may begin to 
die in large numbers unless a young girl is given to the local fetish 
shrine to atone for the offense. The girl becomes the property of the 
fetish priest, must work on the priest's farm, and perform other labors 
for him. Because they are the sexual property of the priests, most 
trokosi slaves have children by them. Although the girls' families must 
provide for their needs, such as food, most are unable to do so. There 
are an estimated 2,000 women and girls bound to various shrines in the 
trokosi system, a figure that does not include the slaves' children. 
Even when freed by her fetish priest from the more onerous aspects of 
her bondage, whether voluntarily or as a result of intervention by 
activists, a trokosi woman generally has few marketable skills and 
little hope of marriage and typically remains bound to the shrine for 
life by psychological and social pressure arising from a traditional 
belief that misfortune may befall a trokosi woman's family or village 
if she abandons her obligations to the shrine. When a fetish slave 
dies, her family is expected to replace her with another young girl, 
thus perpetuating the bondage to the fetish shrine from generation to 
generation.
    In June 1998, Parliament passed and the President signed 
legislation to ban the practice of trokosi in comprehensive legislation 
to protect women and children's rights. Human rights activists believe 
that the goal of eradicating the trokosi practice is attainable with 
the new law. Nongovernmental organizations, such as International 
Needs, and government agencies, like the Commission for Human Rights 
and Administrative Justice(CHRAJ), have been campaigning against 
trokosi for several years and are familiar with the locations of the 
fetish shrines and the numbers of women and children enslaved. 
Activists know the community leaders and fetish priests and thus know 
with whom to negotiate. CHRAJ and International Needs have had some 
success in approaching village authorities and fetish priests at over 
316 shrines, winning the release of nearly 1,000 trokosi slaves as of 
mid-2000 and retraining them for new professions. The followers of 
Trokosi claim this to be a religion, but the Government does not 
recognize it as such.
    There have been occasional reports of interreligious and 
intrareligious incidents, but no violent incidents based on religious 
affiliation. There were no reports of intra-Muslim violence during the 
period covered by this report.
    In November 1999, in Agona Nyakrom, central region, a dispute 
during a soccer game between an Islamic middle school and a Methodist 
middle school led to arson and other destruction of property (corn 
mills, livestock, approximately 100 houses, and 3 mosques). A group of 
youths also attacked Muslims in the area, including the headmaster of 
the Islamic school, who was beaten severely. Five persons suffered 
gunshot wounds. Police detained 30 men, including a chief. Newspapers 
reported that as a result of the conflict, large numbers of Muslims 
moved out of the area.
    Members of the Christo Asafo Christian church clashed with members 
of the Boade Baaka traditional shrine on January 25, 2000, at Taifa, 
greater Accra region. The dispute arose days earlier after shrine 
members accused a Christian woman of witchcraft. In the process, the 
woman was injured slightly and a crowd formed. Christo Asafo members 
attacked the shrine in retaliation. There were some minor injuries. 
Police did not arrest or prosecute any of the participants, but 
continue to investigate the incident.
    In March 2000, a dispute between five Pentecostal churches and 
landowners (tendaabas) created tension in Jirapa, Upper West region. 
After a member of the Kingdom of God ministries allegedly burned down a 
local shrine, the tendaabas banned religious activities of all churches 
except the Roman Catholic Church, until May 2000, when the regional 
coordinating council brokered a resolution (see Section I).
    The clergy and other religious leaders actively discourage 
religiously motivated violence, discrimination, or harassment.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy monitors religious freedom in the country and 
discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the overall 
context of the promotion of human rights.
    Embassy officers meet with various leaders of religious communities 
in the country from time to time. The Embassy supported dialog between 
religious leaders and civil society. Embassy officers attended the 
opening ceremony of the greater Accra workshop on managing religious 
conflict (see Section I).
                               __________

                                 GUINEA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between the various religions are generally amicable; 
however, in some areas, strong social pressure discourages non-Muslims 
from practicing their religion openly, and the Government tends to 
defer to local Muslim sensibilities. While the Government has been 
accused of favoring Muslims in positions of power, some non-Muslims 
hold relatively important positions. There have been no recent reports 
of government interference with missionary activity.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and permits 
religious communities to govern themselves without state interference; 
the Government generally respects this right in practice.
    A government-sponsored organization, the National Islamic League 
(NIL), represents the country's Sunni Muslim majority, which comprises 
some 85 percent of the population. The Government requires that all 
recognized Christian churches join the Association of Churches and 
Missions in order to benefit from certain government privileges such as 
tax benefits and energy subsidies. Missionary groups are required to 
make a declaration of their aims and activities to the Ministry of 
Interior or to the National Islamic League.
Religious Demography
    Islam is demographically, socially, and culturally the dominant 
religion. According to credible estimates, some 85 percent of the 
population profess Islam, while 10 percent follow various Christian 
faiths, and 5 percent hold traditional indigenous beliefs. Muslims in 
the country generally adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam; adherents of 
the Shi'a branch remain relatively few, although they are increasing in 
number. Among the Christian groups, there are Roman Catholic, Anglican, 
Baptist, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist, and other 
Christian evangelical churches active in the country and recognized by 
the Government. The small Baha'i community practices its faith openly 
and freely, although it is not officially recognized. There are small 
numbers of Hindus, Buddhists, and practitioners of traditional Chinese 
religions among the expatriate community. Few, if any, citizens profess 
atheism.
    Geographically, Muslims are a majority in all four major regions. 
Christians are most numerous in the capital, in lower Guinea, and in 
the forest region. Christians are found in all large towns throughout 
the country, with the exception of the Fouta Jallon region of middle 
Guinea, where the Puhlar (or Fulani or Peuhl) ethnic group fiercely 
opposes the establishment of religious communities other than Islamic 
ones. Traditional indigenous religions are most prevalent in the forest 
region.
    No data is available on active participation in formal religious 
services or rituals, but the National Islamic League estimates that 70 
percent of Muslims practice their faith regularly.
    Although there are no known organized heterogeneous or syncretistic 
religious communities, both Islam and Christianity have developed 
syncretistic tendencies, which reflect the continuing influence and 
acceptability of traditional indigenous beliefs and rituals.
    The country's large immigrant and refugee populations generally 
practice the same faiths as citizens, although those from neighboring 
Liberia and Sierra Leone have higher percentages of Christians and 
adherents of traditional indigenous religions.
    The National Islamic League's stated policy is to promote better 
relations with other religious denominations and dialog aimed at 
ameliorating interethnic and interreligious tensions. Although the 
Government and the NIL have spoken out against the proliferation of 
Shi'a fundamentalist groups on the grounds that they ``generate 
confusion and deviation'' within the country's Islamic family, they 
have not restricted the religious activities of these groups.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    With rare exceptions, foreign missionary groups and church-
affiliated relief agencies operate freely in the country. These include 
Roman Catholic, Philafricaine, Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, and 
many American missionary societies. There have been no recent reports 
that government officials obstructed or limited missionary activities 
by Jehovah's Witnesses.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Government support of the powerful, semi-official National Islamic 
League has led some non-Muslims to complain that the Government uses 
its influence to favor Muslims over non-Muslims, although non-Muslims 
are represented in the Cabinet, administrative bureaucracy, and the 
armed forces. Conversions of senior officials to Islam, such as the 
Defense Minister, are ascribed to the NIL's efforts to influence the 
religious beliefs of senior government leaders. The Government refrains 
from appointing non-Muslims to important administrative positions in 
certain parts of the country, in deference to the particularly strong 
social dominance of Islam in these regions.
    There were no reports that the Government required government 
ministers to take an oath on either the Koran or the Bible, a 
requirement that provoked criticism when it was imposed--apparently for 
the only time--in April 1999.
    The Government utilizes all religious groups in its civic education 
efforts and national prayers for peace. The Government does not have a 
specific program to promote inter-faith understanding.
    Both Muslim and Christian holidays are recognized by the Government 
and celebrated by the population.
    The government-controlled official press reports on religious 
events involving both Islamic and Christian groups.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religions are generally amicable; 
however, in some parts of the country, Islam's dominance is such that 
there is strong social pressure that discourages non-Muslims from 
practicing their religion openly.
    In January 2000, violent clashes between Christian and Muslim 
villages in the forest region left 30 people dead. According to both 
the Secretary General of the Islamic League and the Archbishop of 
Conakry, the violence was due primarily to a long-running conflict over 
rights to land, and were not based on religion. The Minister of 
Territorial Administration and Decentralization visited the area to 
investigate the dispute. Although the dispute calmed down after the 
Minister's visit, the region remains tense.
    There are no significant ecumenical movements or activities to 
promote greater mutual understanding and tolerance among adherents of 
different faiths.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains contact with clergy and religious 
leaders from all major religious communities, monitors developments 
affecting religious freedom, and discusses religious freedom issues 
with government officials in the overall context of the promotion of 
human rights.
                               __________

                             GUINEA-BISSAU

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. There is no state 
religion.
    The Government requires that religious groups be licensed; however, 
no applications have been refused. There were no reports that new 
applications were made during the period covered by this report.
Religious Demography
    About half the population follows traditional indigenous religious 
practices. Approximately 45 percent of the population are Muslim and 
about 5 percent are Christian. There are few atheists. The Muslim 
population is concentrated in the Fula and Mandinka ethnic groups, and 
Muslims generally live in the north and northeast. Christians are 
concentrated in Bissau and other large towns. Practitioners of 
traditional religions inhabit the rest of the country.
    Christians belong to a number of groups, including the Roman 
Catholic Church and various Protestant denominations. Missionaries from 
numerous Christian denominations have long been active. Muslims 
generally adhere to a tolerant ``African-style'' Islam.
    All religions were tolerated prior to the outbreak of civil 
conflict in June 1998, and there have been no reports of discrimination 
based on religious belief since that time. Historically, political 
affiliation has not been related directly to ethnic or religious 
affiliation. Members of all major faiths are represented in the Interim 
Government that was inaugurated in February 1999, in the National 
Assembly, and in the military junta that led the rebellion against 
President Joao Vieira in 1998.
    Numerous foreign missionary groups have long operated in the 
country without restriction. While many missionaries left following the 
June 1998 conflict, others stayed and continue to operate unmolested.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. Society is tolerant on religious matters.
    There have been no reports of significant ecumenical movements or 
activities to promote greater mutual understanding and tolerance.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    There has been no official U.S. presence in country since June 
1998.( Note: The U.S. Embassy remains closed following suspension of 
operations on June 14, 1998 at the outset of civil conflict that ended 
in May 1999. The U.S. Embassy in Dakar is responsible for U.S. 
interests in Guinea-Bissau. Sources of information about the situation 
of religious believers and other circumstances inside Guinea-Bissau are 
very limited./( The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues 
with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of 
promoting human rights during periodic visits to the country by U.S. 
officials.
                               __________

                                 KENYA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, while 
groups generally were allowed to worship freely, the Government at 
times interfered with other activities by religious groups.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The Government at times restricted or disrupted public meetings 
that religious groups organized or participated in, sometimes for 
political reasons. Muslim leaders charge that the Government is hostile 
towards Muslims. On August 13, 1999, police shot and killed five 
unarmed worshipers at a mosque near Mombasa. Police periodically 
arrested and detained members of the unregistered Mungiki religious 
group, and on a few occasions used force, including live ammunition in 
at least one instance, to disrupt Mungiki prayer meetings and 
politically motivated gatherings. Some members of the Mungiki accuse 
the Government of harassment, while the Government claims members of 
the group are involved in illegal practices. There is generally a great 
level of tolerance among religious groups; however, there were a few 
instances of violence between Muslim and Christian groups. There are 
some inter-faith movements and political alliances.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal Policy and Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, while 
groups generally were allowed to worship freely, the Government at 
times interfered with other activities by religious groups.
    The Government requires new religious organizations to register 
with the Registrar of Societies, which reports to the Office of the 
Attorney General. The Government allows traditional indigenous 
religious organizations to register, although many choose not to do so. 
Once registered, religious organizations enjoy tax-free status and 
clergy are not subject to duty on purchased goods. Religious 
organizations generally receive equal treatment from the Government; 
however, some small splinter groups have found it difficult to register 
due to their inability to define their status as more than an offshoot 
of a larger religious organization. The Government has not granted 
registration to the Tent of the Living God, a small Kikuyu religious 
order banned during the single-party era (pre-1992). However, with the 
arrival of a multiparty system in 1992, the Tent of the Living God has 
virtually disappeared.
Religious Demography
    According to rough estimates, Protestants are the largest religious 
group representing approximately 38 percent of the population. 
Approximately 28 percent of the population are Roman Catholic, while an 
estimated 10 to 20 percent are Muslim. Hinduism is practiced by 1 
percent of the population and the remainder follows various traditional 
indigenous religions or offshoots of Christian religions. There are 
very few atheists.
    Members of most religious groups are active throughout the country. 
Muslims are concentrated chiefly in the coastal areas and the north and 
northeastern parts of the country. Muslims are also present in 
significant numbers in urban centers throughout the country.
    Foreign missionary groups of nearly every faith operate in the 
country. The Government generally has permitted their assistance to the 
poor and their founding of schools and hospitals. The missionaries 
openly promote their religious beliefs and have encountered little 
resistance; however, some missionary groups expressed concern following 
the release of the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry 
into Devil Worship, in which they were identified as ``doorways'' into 
satanism (see following subsection).
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    On July 25, 1999, according to a press report, authorities in Ruaka 
town ordered members of the small church group, the Word of Mercy 
Church, to disband, citing ``odd practices.''
    On June 25, 2000, local authorities in Nairobi blocked entry to the 
Buru Buru Church of God in Nairobi, in an apparent effort to prevent 
renewed fighting between rival factions in the Church. Fighting between 
rival factions in the Church 2 weeks earlier led to numerous injuries 
among worshipers. It is unclear for how long the Church will remain 
closed.
    On April 3, 2000, William Ruto, Assistant Minister in the Office of 
the President, speaking after the discovery of ``cult'' killings in 
Uganda, was quoted as saying that the Government would crack down on 
religious groups that endanger the safety of their adherents.
    Political parties must register with the Government. Despite 1997 
reforms and the subsequent registration of a large number of political 
parties, the Government refused to reverse its 1994 denial of 
registration of the Islamic Party of Kenya (IPK) on the grounds that 
the IPK had been involved in a number of violent confrontations with 
police in 1992.
    Muslim leaders have charged that the Government is hostile towards 
Muslims. Muslims complain that non-Muslims receive better treatment 
when applying for proof of citizenship. According to Muslim leaders, 
government authorities more rigorously scrutinize the identification 
cards of persons with Muslim surnames and require them to present 
additional documentation of their citizenship (i.e., birth certificates 
of parents and, sometimes, grandparents). The Government has singled 
out the overwhelmingly Muslim ethnic-Somalis as the only group whose 
members are required to carry an additional form of identification to 
prove that they are citizens. They must produce upon demand their 
Kenyan identification card and a second identification card verifying 
screening. Both cards also are required in order to apply for a 
passport. This heightened scrutiny appears to be due to an attempt to 
deter illegal immigration, rather than to the religious affiliation of 
the ethnic Somalis. Muslim leaders state that since the August 1998 
bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, government discrimination 
against them has worsened.
    Purporting to practice witchcraft reportedly is a criminal offense 
under colonial-era laws; however, persons generally are prosecuted for 
this offense only in conjunction with some other offense, such as 
murder. Although many traditional indigenous religions include or 
accommodate belief in the efficacy of witchcraft, they generally 
approve of harmful witchcraft only for defensive or retaliatory 
purposes and purport to offer protection against it.
    In August 1999, the Government presented to Parliament and thereby 
effectively published the 1994 report of the Presidential Commission of 
Inquiry into Devil Worship. President Moi appointed the Commission in 
1994 in response to public concern, articulated chiefly by Christian 
clergy, about a perceived resurgence of witchcraft, ritual murders, and 
other ostensibly ``Satanic'' practices associated with aspects of 
traditional indigenous religions. The Commission's widely-publicized 
report included numerous reports of ritual murder, human sacrifice, and 
cannibalism, and feats of magic allegedly done by using powers acquired 
through such acts. It also reported that ``Satanists'' had infiltrated 
nonindigenous religious groups including Jehovah's Witnesses, the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), and the Church 
of Christ Scientist (Christian Scientists), as well as other 
organizations, including the Masonic Order (Freemasons) and the 
Theosophical Society, making them ``doorways'' to Satanism. Most 
members of the Commission were senior members of mainline Christian 
churches; a deputy director of the Criminal Investigations Department 
(CID) also served on the Commission.
    In 1998 the Ministry approved radio and television broadcast 
licenses for a Muslim group and for a Christian group. In March 1999, 
the Ministry of Information, Transport, and Communication licensed four 
religious stations: one Islamic station and three Christian stations in 
the coastal, central, and western regions. These stations have been 
assigned broadcasting frequencies, and the station of The Supreme 
Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) began undergoing transmission tests 
in 2000; however, none of the stations had begun to broadcast by mid-
2000.
    In December 1999, a group of Christian, Muslim, and Hindu leaders 
formed an alternative process to reform the Constitution, the 
Ufungamano Initiative, which opposes the Parliament-led process. The 
Government, although critical of the Ufungamano group, has permitted it 
to proceed with its constitutional review process. However, a Minister 
in the Office of the President, Shariff Nassir, and other ruling party 
politicians, warned of possible confrontation if the Ufungamano 
Commission attempted to collect citizen views in their constituencies.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    On August 13, 1999, police killed five Muslim worshipers in the 
Anas Bin Malik mosque in Chai village, near Mombasa. A dozen policemen 
went to the mosque during a religious ceremony to arrest a man accused 
of assault. One policeman, Peter Ndirangu, entered the mosque to make 
the arrest. An altercation ensued and other police officers shot 
indiscriminately through the windows, killing five persons: imam 
Mohamed Ali Mwatakucha, Said Ali Mwajefwa, Ali Mohamed Mwadida, Neru 
Bakari Marika, and Alfan Matano Mwagoga. As the worshipers fled, an 
unknown person slashed Ndirangu with a farm tool, killing him. The 
sequence of events remains unclear. Muslim leaders accused police 
officials of taking two of the victims, whom they believe survived the 
mosque shooting, to a remote location and killing them. Postmortem 
studies indicate that at least two of the worshipers died from gunshot 
wounds to the head, fired from a distance of less than 6 feet. The 
Government charged two police officers, Julius Mugambi M'Nabere and 
Stephan Musau Kilonzo, with murder. The case was pending before the 
court in mid-2000.
    Although the Constitution provides for freedom of assembly, the 
Government at times used sections of the Public Order Act and the Penal 
Code to restrict or disrupt public meetings that religious groups 
organized or participated in, sometimes for political reasons. On April 
3, 2000, police in Laikipia broke up a gathering in a Catholic church 
hall, on the grounds that the participants were former freedom fighters 
holding a secret meeting. The police arrested four men and charged them 
with holding an illegal meeting.
    On September 25, 1999, President Moi was quoted as saying that, for 
political reasons, he would not allow the exiled Tibetan leader, the 
Dalai Lama, to enter the country.
    The Government historically has been unsympathetic to tribal 
religious groups that have engendered protest movements. The Government 
frequently harassed, and periodically arrested and detained members of 
the Mungiki, a small, controversial, predominately Kikuyu traditional 
religious group with strong political motivations. On at least one 
occasion, police fired upon members of the Mungiki while attempting to 
disrupt their prayer meeting. Members of the Mungiki most commonly are 
charged with holding illegal assemblies and possessing offensive 
weapons. On October 10, 1999, a Murang'a court in central Kenya charged 
eight Mungiki members with taking part in an illegal assembly. The 
Mungiki had gathered ostensibly to pray at an outdoor shrine. On 
December 12, 1999, police in Ng'arua, Laikipia district, broke up a 
meeting of Mungiki members, arrested dozens of persons, and reportedly 
confiscated two videotapes from a Reuters film crew covering the event. 
On April 23, 2000, a few hundred members of the Mungiki approached the 
Nyahururu police station in central Kenya, demanding the release of 
three members of the group. Police responded with force, including the 
use of rubber bullets and live ammunition, injuring dozens of persons 
and sending eight persons to the hospital with gunshot wounds. Police 
later removed two of the wounded from their hospital beds and detained 
them, an act that hospital authorities strongly criticized. On May 14, 
2000, police in a slum near Nairobi forcibly dispersed a prayer 
gathering of hundreds of Mungiki members. This police action came 1 
week after President Moi criticized the Mungiki and ordered a crackdown 
on the group during a public speech. On June 25, police shot and 
injured 5 members of the Mungiki and arrested 23 others while 
attempting to disrupt a prayer meeting. The members of the Mungiki had 
responded to the police attempts to disrupt their meeting by throwing 
stones at the police. The Mungiki group allegedly promotes female 
genital mutilation (FGM) and the taking of illegal oaths against the 
Government. The debate over the rights of the Mungiki to practice their 
traditional religion and advance their political agenda is ongoing. It 
remains unclear to what extent the Mungiki may have broken the law in 
practicing their religion.
    The Government dropped cattle-rustling charges that it had brought 
against Francis Tulel, the secretary of the Catholic Peace and Justice 
Commission for Eldoret Diocese, shortly after arresting him in 1998.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no other reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There is generally a great level of tolerance among religious 
groups; however, there were a few instances of violence between 
adherents of different religions, and Muslims increasingly perceive 
themselves to be treated as second-class citizens in a predominantly 
Christian country. Intermarriage between members of Christian 
denominations is common and inter-faith prayer services occur 
frequently. Intermarriage between Muslims and Christians, although less 
frequent, is also socially acceptable, and mosques and Christian 
churches can be found on the same city blocks.
    For years Muslims and Christians have held an open debate over 
their respective places in society. Each group claims to have a larger 
number of adherents than is plausible, and some Muslim groups believe 
that the Government and business communities deliberately have impeded 
development in predominantly Muslim areas. The debate at times has 
undermined mutual trust. The misuse of authority by mainly Christian 
security forces in the northeast, which is largely Muslim and in which 
banditry is widespread, has long contributed to Muslim mistrust. In 
recent years, the absence of an effective government in southern 
Somalia, and the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) insurgency in southern 
Ethiopia, have strained Christian-Muslim relations further by causing 
the Government to increase security force operations in the north and 
northeast. In these areas, many security force members reportedly find 
it difficult to distinguish Kenyan Muslims from members of Somali 
militias or the OLF, who are ethnically and culturally similar.
    There were a few instances of violence between adherents of 
different religions. On April 21, 2000, a group of Muslims allegedly 
threw stones and attacked a group of Catholic worshipers who had 
stopped in front of the Majengo mosque in Nyeri to pray during a Good 
Friday ceremony. The Muslim worshipers were in the middle of their 
Friday prayers and believed that the Catholics were provoking them. A 
few of the Catholics received minor cuts and bruises. Top leaders of 
the two faiths met in Nyeri a few days later to reconcile their 
differences and apologize before the fight escalated. On April 23, 
2000, Muslim youths in Kitui reportedly charged and dispersed a group 
of Christians who were making noise outside a mosque during evening 
prayers.
    During the period covered by this report, there were reports of 
ritual murders associated with aspects of traditional indigenous 
religious rites. The victims, generally teenage children, reportedly 
were killed and parts of their bodies removed for use in traditional 
rituals by persons seeking renewed youth or health. The Report of the 
1994 Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Devil Worship, presented 
to the Parliament in August 1999, contained similar reports from recent 
years.
    Occasionally mobs killed members of their communities on suspicion 
that they practiced witchcraft.
    There have been societal efforts to bridge religious divides. The 
Inter-Faith Peace Movement represents a broad religious spectrum, and 
its members include the Anglican Church of Kenya, the Supreme Council 
of Kenyan Muslims, the Muslim Consultative Council, the Methodist 
Church, the Catholic Church, the National Council of Churches of Kenya, 
the Inland African Church, the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, and 
the Hindu Council.
    In December 1999, a group of Christian, Muslim, and Hindu leaders 
formed an alternative process to reform the Constitution, the 
Ufungamano Initiative, which opposes the Parliament-led process. The 
Ufungamano Initiative actively seeks input from civil society and 
others into the reform process.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy made a concerted effort to bridge the gaps that 
exist between Muslims and Christians. Embassy officials maintain 
regular contact with leaders and members of all religious communities. 
The Ambassador and other embassy officers met with Catholic, 
Protestant, and Muslim leaders while traveling. The Ambassador 
regularly hosts meetings with religious leaders to discuss issues 
affecting their communities. In February 2000, the Ambassador and 
embassy officers traveled to Mombasa to host a public forum at which 
members of the predominantly Muslim coastal community could meet 
embassy officials and gain a better understanding of U.S. policy and 
activities.
                               __________

                                LESOTHO

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    There is no state religion, and no evidence that the government 
favors any particular religion. However, the majority, if not all, 
members of the Government are Christians.
    The Government does not establish requirements for religious 
recognition. Generally, there are no benefits from the Government to 
any religious groups; however, Christians enjoy a waiver of taxes on 
donations from outside the country. These donations (in the form of 
clothes, medicines, food, etc) are not subjected to import tax.
Religious Demography
    Christianity, specifically Roman Catholicism, is the dominant 
religion. Approximately 90 percent of the population are Christian, and 
70 percent of the Christians are Catholic. Muslims, members of other 
non-Christian religions, and atheists constitute the remaining 10 
percent. Christians are scattered throughout the country, while Muslims 
are found mainly in the northeastern part of the country.
    Many devout Christians still practice their traditional cultural 
beliefs and rituals along with Christianity. The Catholic Church has 
fused some aspects of local culture into its services. For example, the 
singing of hymns during services has taken on a local and traditional 
way of singing (a repetitive call and response style) in Sesotho--the 
indigenous language--as well as English. In addition, priests are seen 
dressed in local dress during services.
    There are three main missionary groups, all Christian, active in 
the country: Catholics, Protestants, and Anglicans. They do not face 
any special requirements or restrictions.
    Catholic predominance in Lesotho derives from the successful 
establishment of schools in the last century and their influence over 
education policy. The Catholic Church owns about 75 percent of all 
primary and secondary schools in the country as well as having been 
instrumental in establishing the National University.
    The Catholic Church helped found the Basotholand National Party 
(BNP) in 1959 and sponsored it in the independence elections in 1966. 
Most members of the BNP are practicing Catholics. The BNP ruled the 
country from independence in 1966 until 1985 when it was overthrown in 
a military coup. The then-opposition Basotholand Congress Party (BCP) 
always has been aligned with the Protestants, e.g., evangelicals. 
Politically persecuted and segregated through the years, the members of 
the BCP remained Protestant. They were forced into exile in 1973 after 
being denied their victory in the 1970 elections.
    There is no government program aimed at promoting inter-faith 
understanding.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There is generally mutual understanding and cooperation between 
Christians and Muslims. There are efforts within the ecumenical 
community to promote tolerance and cooperation on social issues.
    However, the dominance of Christians in the population at times 
adversely affected other religions. For example, a Catholic-based local 
newspaper ran an editorial campaign against Islam in mid-1998. The 
steady increase of Muslim schools, which threatened Catholic dominance 
in the education sector, prompted this anti-Islamic feeling.
    In addition, most practitioners of Islam are of Asian origin, while 
the majority of Christians are the indigenous Basotho. Conservative and 
xenophobic tendencies often surface when there is a conflict between 
the two groups. For example, civil unrest and riots normally target 
persons of Asian descent but generally not for religious motives. 
During the August to September 1998 civil unrest, opposing political 
parties, which are divided along religious lines as well, clashed, and 
there were accusations of involvement by religious groups in the 
crisis.
    There are serious theological and doctrinal differences among the 
Christians. The main feud is between the Catholics and the Protestants, 
especially evangelical, charismatic, and Mormon groups. However, there 
have been no specific incidents or confrontations during the period of 
this report.
    Catholics form the largest group in the major political party and 
tend to be more affluent. Their influence is strong because of their 
easy access to resources. On the other hand, Protestants are in the 
minority and generally poor despite the fact that they were the 
pioneers of Christianity in Lesotho.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                LIBERIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, there 
were some exceptions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Societal discrimination against Muslims is a problem. In addition, 
there continues to be ethnic tension along religious lines between 
Muslim and non-Muslim groups, particularly between the Lormas and the 
Mandingos. This tension was exacerbated by government inaction. This 
inaction is motivated primarily by the fact that most Muslims were 
allied with factions that opposed President Charles Taylor during the 
recent civil war and still belong to opposition parties, rather than by 
religious discrimination. In March 2000, the Government temporarily 
suspended broadcasting by a Catholic radio station to ensure that it 
confined itself to ``purely religious matters.''
    The U.S Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, there 
were some exceptions.
    There is no established state religion. However, government 
ceremonies invariably open and close with prayer and may include hymn 
singing. The prayers and hymns are usually Christian but occasionally 
are Muslim.
    All organizations, including religious groups, must register their 
articles of incorporation with the Government, along with a statement 
of the purpose of the organization. However, traditional indigenous 
religious groups generally need not and do not register. The 
registration is routine, and there have been no reports that the 
registration process is either burdensome or discriminatory in its 
administration.
Religious Demography
    Although Islam is gaining adherents, as much as 40 percent of the 
population practice either Christianity or elements of both 
Christianity and traditional indigenous religions. About 20 percent of 
the population practice Islam. The remaining 40 percent practice 
traditional indigenous religions exclusively. The Lutheran, Baptist, 
Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, United Methodist, African 
Methodist Episcopal (AME), and AME Zion denominations, as well as 
several Pentecostal churches are represented in the Christian 
community. Some of the Pentecostal movements are independent, while 
others are affiliated with churches in the United States and elsewhere. 
There is also a small Baha'i community.
    Christianity, traditional indigenous religions, and syncretistic 
religions combining elements of both Christianity and traditional 
indigenous religions are found throughout the country. Islam is 
prevalent only among members of the Mandingo ethnic group, who are 
concentrated in the northern and eastern counties, and among the Vai 
ethnic group in the northwest.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Although the law prohibits religious discrimination, Islamic 
leaders complained of discrimination against Muslims. Although there 
are some Muslims in senior government positions, many Muslims believe 
that they are bypassed for desirable jobs. Many Muslim business 
proprietors believe that the Taylor Government's decision to enforce an 
old statute prohibiting business on Sunday discriminates against them. 
Most Mandingos and hence most Muslims were allied with factions that 
opposed Taylor during the recent civil war and still belong to 
opposition parties.
    Two FM radio stations, one operated by the Roman Catholic 
archdiocese, the other an evangelical station, broadcast Christian-
oriented religious programming from Monrovia to the capital and the 
surrounding area. There are no Islamic-oriented radio stations in the 
country, and little radio broadcasting of any kind in the northern and 
eastern counties where the Islamic population is concentrated. In March 
2000, the Government suspended the Catholic radio station's broadcasts 
pending assurances that the station would confine itself to ``purely 
religious matters.'' The station was reopened a short time later, 
resuming its previous broadcast programming. The closure was believed 
to be politically motivated and not a case of religious discrimination.
    In February 2000, a Muslim activist was ordered arrested on charges 
of treason after he called on Muslims to quit their government jobs in 
protest of the Government's inaction since the burning of five mosques 
in Lofa County in January 2000 (see Section II). The activist went into 
hiding and his whereabouts are unknown. While the Government has not 
taken actions openly against Muslims, its inaction over reports of 
abuses in Lofa County contributed to ethnic tension between Muslim and 
non-Muslim ethnic groups in that area of the country.
    There was no report released by the Government following its 
November 1999 investigation of the reported killing of as many as 30 
Muslim Mandingos in Lofa County in August 1999. Although the 
authorities subsequently arrested 19 persons, they did not charge 
anyone with a crime. Mandingo residents of Lofa County continued to be 
afraid to return to their homes.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Some tensions exist between the major religious communities. The 
law prohibits religious discrimination; however, Islamic leaders 
complained of societal discrimination against Muslims. The private 
sector in urban areas, particularly in the capital, gives preference to 
Christianity in civic ceremonies and observances, and discrimination 
against followers of other organized religions spills over into areas 
of individual opportunity and employment. There is an inter-faith 
council that brings together leaders of the Christian and Islamic 
faiths.
    Ethnic tensions continued in Lofa County between the predominantly 
Muslim Mandingo ethnic group and the Lorma ethnic group. In January 
2000, five mosques were burned down. There was no report of a 
governmental investigation or action taken against the arsonists (see 
Section I).
    Ritual killings, in which body parts used in traditional indigenous 
rituals are removed from the victim, continue to occur. The number of 
such killings is difficult to ascertain, since police often describe 
deaths as accidents even when body parts have been removed. Deaths that 
appear to be natural or accidental sometimes are rumored to be the work 
of ritual killers. Little reliable information appears to be readily 
available about traditions associated with ritual killings. It is 
believed that practitioners of traditional indigenous religions among 
the Grebo and Krahn ethnic groups concentrated in the southeastern 
counties most commonly engage in ritual killings. The victims are 
usually members of the religious group performing the ritual. Body 
parts of a member whom the group believes to be powerful are believed 
to be the most effective ritually. Body parts most frequently removed 
include the heart, liver, and genitals. The rituals involved have been 
reported in some cases to entail eating body parts, and the underlying 
religious beliefs may be related to incidents during the civil war in 
which faction leaders sometimes ate (and in which one faction leader 
had himself filmed eating) body parts of former leaders of rival 
factions. Removal of body parts for use in traditional rituals is 
believed to be the motive for ritual killings, rather than an abuse 
incidental to killings committed for other motives. Ritual murders for 
the purpose of obtaining body parts traditionally were committed by 
religious group members called ``heart men,'' but since the civil war, 
common criminals inured to killing also may sell body parts.
    In August 1999, the Government sent a high-level delegation of the 
National Police to the southeastern counties to investigate reports of 
ritual killings. There were no reports released from this 
investigation.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy monitors developments affecting religious freedom, 
maintains contact with clergy and other leaders of major religious 
communities, and discusses religious freedom issues with the Government 
in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. Embassy 
officers have met on various occasions with the Roman Catholic 
Archbishop, the United Methodist Bishop, the AME Bishop, the AME Zion 
Bishop, the Inter-faith Council, the National Repentant Muslims, and 
other religious leaders during the period covered by this report.
                               __________

                               MADAGASCAR

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. There is no state 
religion.
    Religious groups must register and obtain authorization from the 
Ministry of Interior. In January 1998, an organization widely perceived 
to be affiliated with the Reverend Sun Myung Moon was refused 
registration, apparently due to concerns about its use of mind-control 
practices. There is no indication that the organization has reapplied 
for registration, nor that the Government has changed its decision.
Religious Demography
    Most of the population of roughly 15 million persons is nominally 
Christian, of which an estimated 4.5 million are Roman Catholics, 3.5 
million are Protestants belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ in 
Madagascar (mostly from Fianarantsoa North), 2 million are Lutherans 
(mostly from Fianarantsoa South), and less than 1 million are Anglicans 
(mostly in Antananarivo and Toamasina). Most other citizens are 
followers of traditional indigenous beliefs centered on ancestor 
worship. Muslims constitute probably slightly less than an estimated 10 
percent of the population (concentrated in the north and northwest); 
they include ethnic Malagasy as well as most of the ethnic Indians who 
immigrated within the past hundred years. There are a few Hindus among 
the Indians.
    Foreign missionary groups operate freely, including Catholics, 
Protestants of various denominations, and Mormons.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among religious communities are generally amicable. Some 
ethnic Malagasy voice resentment against the ethnic Indian community, 
but this is primarily due to perceptions that the relative prosperity 
of the ethnic Indian community is due to the corruption of government 
officials and the economic exploitation of ethnic Malagasy customers. 
There were no reports of violence or looting directed against members 
of the ethnic Indian community during the period covered by this 
report.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                 MALAWI

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There are no separate requirements for recognition of different 
religions, but religious groups must register with the Government. 
There were no reports that the Government refused to register any 
religious groups.
Religious Demography
    More than 70 percent of the population are Christian. Among the 
Christian denominations, the largest are the Roman Catholic and 
Presbyterian (Church of Central Africa Presbyterian--CCAP) Churches, 
with smaller numbers of Anglicans, Baptists, evangelicals, and Seventh-
Day Adventists. There is a substantial Muslim minority totaling 
approximately 20 percent of the population. Most Muslims are Sunni. 
There are also Hindus, Baha'is, and followers of traditional indigenous 
religions. Atheism is negligible.
    Foreign missionaries experienced occasional delays in renewing 
employment permits, despite the Government's revision of its policy and 
procedures on temporary employment permits in 1997; however, this 
appeared to be the result of bureaucratic inefficiency rather than a 
deliberate government policy against foreign missionaries. Missionaries 
and charitable workers pay lower fees for employment permits than do 
other professionals.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations between the various 
religious communities. There is no societal discrimination against 
members of religious minorities.
    There have been active efforts to foster cooperation between 
religious groups. For example, the Public Affairs Committee, which is 
involved prominently in promoting civic education and human rights, 
includes representatives of various churches and mosques.
    Some opposition politicians and clerics have raised Islam as a 
political issue. Citing the President's adherence to Islam, his contact 
with Islamic countries such as Libya and Sudan, and the building of new 
mosques, some opposition politicians and clerics have accused the 
ruling party of attempting to ``Islamicize'' the country. An attempt by 
the Government in early 2000 to replace ``bible knowledge'' in the 
school curriculum with the more universal ``moral and religious 
education'' course has met with widespread criticism from Christian 
leaders. When the President suspended the introduction of the new 
curriculum and returned ``bible knowledge'' to the curriculum, Muslim 
leaders rebuked him. In an isolated incident in April 2000, Muslims and 
Christians clashed over the efforts of an evangelical preacher to 
promote an audiotape comparing the Bible and the Koran. Muslims find 
the tape provocative and blasphemous, and the issue remains an open 
point of contention between followers of the two religions.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Representatives of the Embassy have frequent contact with leaders and 
members of all religious communities in the country.
                               __________

                                  MALI

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between the Muslim majority and Christian and other 
religious minorities are generally amicable.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The law allows 
for religious practices that do not pose a threat to social stability 
and peace. The Constitution declares the country a secular state. 
Family law, including laws surrounding divorce, marriage, and 
inheritance, are based on a mixture of local tradition and Islamic law 
and practice.
    The Government requires that all public associations, including 
religious associations, register with the Government. However, 
registration confers no tax preference and no other legal benefits, and 
failure to register is not penalized in practice. The registration 
process is routine and is not burdensome. Traditional indigenous 
religious are not required to register.
    The Minister of Territorial Administration and Collectives can 
prohibit religious publications that he concludes defame another 
religion, but there were no reports of instances in which publications 
were prohibited.
Religious Demography
    Muslims make up about 90 percent of the population, and the vast 
majority of Muslims are Sunni. About 5 percent of the population are 
Christian, and the Christian community is about evenly split between 
Catholic and Protestant denominations. Most of the remainder of the 
population practice traditional indigenous religions or no religion. 
Atheism or agnosticism is rare. Most immigrants are from neighboring 
countries and either practice the majority Muslim faith or belong to a 
Christian group.
    There are no geographic concentrations or segregation of religious 
groups. Christian communities tend to be located in and around urban 
areas, because of the work of urban based missionaries. However, 
Christians are found throughout the country. Animists also practice 
throughout the country, but are most active in rural areas. The vast 
majority of citizens practice their religion daily. Islam is tolerant 
and adapted to local conditions. Women participate in economic and 
political activity, engage in social interaction, and do not wear 
veils.
    Persons are free to change their religion. Foreign missionary 
groups operate in the country, and Muslims and non-Muslims may 
proselytize freely. Most known foreign missionary groups are Christian 
groups, which are based in Europe and are engaged in development work. 
However, they do not link the benefits of their development activities 
to conversion. A number of U.S.-based Christian missionary groups also 
operate in the country.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the Muslim majority and the Christian and other 
religious minorities--including practitioners of traditional indigenous 
religions--are generally amicable. Adherents of a variety of faiths may 
be found within the same families. Many followers of one religion 
attend religious ceremonies of other religions, especially weddings and 
funerals. Non-Muslim missionary communities live and work in the 
country without difficulty. Christian missionaries, especially the 
rural-based development workers, enjoy good relations within their 
communities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy officers meet regularly with religious authorities and 
government officials in ministries dealing with these issues. During a 
civil society meeting hosted by the Embassy, Catholic, Protestant, 
Sunni, and Shi'a leaders were invited to join secular leaders and 
traditional religious authorities in an open discussion on issues 
important to society. The Embassy maintains contacts with the foreign 
missionary community, and monitors the situation for indications that 
religious freedom may be threatened by the Government or societal 
pressures. Embassy officers have raised the issue of religious freedom 
through public diplomacy programs.
                               __________

                               MAURITANIA

    The Constitution establishes Mauritania as an Islamic republic and 
decrees that Islam is the religion of its citizens and the State; 
accordingly, the Government limits freedom of religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between the Muslim community and the small Christian 
community are generally amicable.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution establishes Mauritania as an Islamic republic and 
decrees that Islam is the religion of its citizens and the State; 
accordingly, the Government limits freedom of religion.
    Both the Government and society generally consider Islam to be the 
essential cohesive element unifying the country's various ethnic groups 
and castes. There is a cabinet-level Ministry of Culture and Islamic 
Orientation and a High Council of Islam consisting of six imams which, 
at the Government's request, advises on the conformance of legislation 
to Islamic precepts.
    Although the Government provides a small stipend to the imam of the 
Central Mosque in the capital city of Nouakchott, mosques and Koranic 
schools normally are supported by their members and other donors.
    There is no religious oath required of government employees or 
members of the ruling political party, except for the President and the 
members of the 5-person Constitutional Council and the 10-person High 
Council of Magistrates presided over by the President. The 
Constitutional Council and the High Council of Magistrates advise the 
President in matters of law and the Constitution. The oath of office 
includes a promise to God to uphold the law of the land in conformity 
with Islamic precepts.
    The Government does not register religious groups. However, secular 
nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) must register with the Ministry 
of the Interior; this includes humanitarian and development NGO's 
affiliated with religious groups. Nonprofit organizations, including 
both religious groups and secular NGO's, generally are not subject to 
taxation.
Religious Demography
    Nearly 100 percent of the population are Sunni Muslims, who are 
prohibited by their religion from converting to another religion.
    There is a small number of Christians, and Christian churches have 
been established in Nouakchott, Atar, Zouerate, Nouadhibou, and Rosso.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Shari'a (Islamic law), proclaimed the law of the land under a 
previous government in 1983, includes the Koranic prohibition against 
apostasy; however, it has never been codified in civil law or enforced. 
The small number of known converts from Islam suffered no social 
ostracism, and there were no reports of societal or governmental 
attempts to punish them.
    Although there is no specific legal prohibition against 
proselytizing by non-Muslims, in practice the Government implements the 
prohibition against proselytizing by non-Muslims through the use of 
Article 11 of the Press Act, which bans the publication of any material 
that is against Islam or contradicts or otherwise threatens Islam. The 
Government views any attempts by Christians to convert Muslims as 
undermining society. Foreign Christian NGO's limit their activities to 
humanitarian and development assistance.
    Christians in the foreign community and the few Christian citizens 
practice their religion openly and freely. Under Article 11 of the 
Press Law, the Government may restrict the importation, printing, or 
public distribution of Bibles or other non-Islamic religious 
literature, and in practice Bibles are neither printed nor publicly 
sold in the country. However, the possession of Bibles and other 
Christian religious materials in private homes is not illegal, and 
there appears to be no shortage of Bibles and other religious 
publications among the small Christian community.
    A magistrate of Shari'a, who heads a separate government 
commission, decides the dates for observing religious holidays and 
addresses the nation on these holidays.
    Both privately run Koranic schools which, nearly all children 
attend, and the public schools include classes on religion. These 
classes teach both the history and principles of Islam and the 
classical Arabic of the Koran. Although attendance of these religion 
classes is ostensibly required, many students, the great majority of 
whom are Muslims, decline to attend these classes for diverse ethno-
linguistic and religious reasons. They are nevertheless able to advance 
in school and ultimately to graduate with diplomas, provided that they 
compensate for their failure to attend the required religion classes by 
their performance in other classes.
    There are several foreign, Christian NGO's active in humanitarian 
and developmental work in the country. They practice their religion 
openly, but respect the proscription against proselytizing.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the Muslim community and the small Christian 
community are generally amicable. There were no incidents of attacks or 
threats of attacks on the basis of religion. In previous years, the 
Government responded quickly and effectively to incidents involving an 
attack by an Islamic extremist on Catholic priests and a threat made 
against a Christian NGO.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy monitors developments affecting religious freedom, 
maintains contact with clergy and other leaders of major religious 
groups, and discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
    The Ambassador discussed the importance of religious tolerance with 
the Minister of Interior on January 18 and 29, 2000.
    The Ambassador and the Deputy Chief of Mission have discussed 
issues of religious freedom with representatives of American Christian 
NGO's working in country.
                               __________

                               MAURITIUS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Tensions between the Hindu majority and Christian Creole and Muslim 
minorities persist; however, members of each group worshipped without 
hindrance.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    Religious organizations and faiths that were present in the country 
prior to independence, such as the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of 
England, the Presbyterian Church, the Seventh-Day Adventists, Hindus, 
and Muslims, are recognized in a parliamentary decree. These groups 
also receive a lump-sum payment every year from the Ministry of Finance 
based upon the number of adherents, as determined by a 10-year census. 
Newer religious organizations (which must have a minimum of 7 members) 
are registered by the Registrar of Associations and are recognized as a 
legal entity with tax-free privileges. No groups are known to have been 
refused registration.
Religious Demography
    In the 1990 census, out of a population of more than 1 million 
persons, approximately 50 percent claimed to be Hindu, 32 percent 
Christian, 16 percent Muslim, and less than 1 percent Baha'i, Jewish, 
or Buddhist. Also less than 1 percent claimed to be atheists or 
agnostics. There are no figures for those who actually practice their 
faith, but there are estimates that the figure is around 60 percent for 
all religious groups.
    Approximately 85 percent of Christians are Roman Catholic. The 
remaining 15 percent are members of the following churches: Adventist, 
Assembly of God, Christian Tamil, Church of England, Pentecostal, 
Presbyterian, Evangelical, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Sunni Muslims account for over 90 percent 
of the Muslims; however, there are some Shi'a Muslims.
    Many Buddhists are also practicing Catholics, since many citizens 
of Chinese ancestry have sent, and continue to send, their children to 
the Loreto Convent primary schools located in the major towns.
    The north tends to be more Hindu and the south is more Catholic. 
There are also large populations of Hindus and Catholics in the main 
cities from the capital of Port Louis to the central cities of Quatre 
Bornes and Curepipe, and most Muslims and Christian churches are 
concentrated in these areas. The offshore island of Rodrigues, with a 
population of 35,200, is predominantly Catholic.
    While the Government is secular in both name and practice, for 
political reasons it has in the past favored the Hindu majority of the 
population with greater access to government patronage.
    Foreign missionary groups are allowed to operate on a case-by-case 
basis. There are no government regulations detailing the conditions of 
their presence or limiting their proselytizing activities. Groups must 
obtain both a visa and a work permit for each missionary. Foreign 
missionaries sometimes are prohibited from residing in the contry 
beyond 5 years (which would permit them to seek Mauritian citizenship), 
but religious organizations are permitted to send new missionaries to 
replace them.
    While some Creole political groups alleged that Christian Creoles 
received unjust treatment from the police, there was no evidence that 
this was based in particular on religious differences. Such incidents 
likely were largely a result of the Creoles' position as the country's 
underclass, as well as ethnic differences, since the police force is 
predominantly Indo-Mauritian.
    In the wake of riots that broke out in February 1999 partly as a 
result of ethnic tensions, religious leaders called on the President to 
form an interreligious council. The President formed the Committee for 
the Promotion of National Unity, which consists of 20 members from a 
wide cross-section of the public and private sectors. The committee has 
sponsored a variety of activities to promote goodwill between ethnic 
groups.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow minor U.S. 
citizens who had been forced to convert their religion to be returned 
to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Tensions between the Hindu majority and Christian Creole and Muslim 
minorities persist; however, no violent confrontations resulted during 
the period covered by this report.
    Mauritius is a small island nation, and ethnic groups, known as 
``communities,'' are quite tightly knit. Intermarriage is relatively 
rare. An individual's name easily identifies his or her ethnic and 
religious background. There is a strong correlation between religious 
affiliation and ethnicity. Citizens of Indian ethnicity are usually 
Hindus or Muslims. Citizens of Chinese ancestry usually practice both 
Buddhism and Catholicism. Creoles and citizens of European-descent are 
usually Catholic. However, there is a growing number of Hindu converts 
to evangelical Christian churches, a fact that is of growing concern to 
Hindu organizations.
    In the wake of violent confrontations in early 1999 that were 
partially the result of ethnic tensions, the Mauritian Council of 
Social Service, which serves as an umbrella group for nongovernmental 
organizations (NGO's) in the country, created a conflict resolution 
working group to address ethnic tensions. A citizen based abroad 
established the Mauritius Peace Initiative to facilitate contact 
between domestic community leaders and international conflict 
resolution experts.
    Some minorities, usually Creoles and Muslims, allege that a glass 
ceiling exists within the upper echelons of the civil service that 
prevents them from reaching the highest levels.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Support for some conflict resolution activities was provided under the 
U.S. Democracy and Human Rights Fund.
                               __________

                               MOZAMBIQUE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion. 
However, the Constitution bans religious denomination-based political 
parties as threats to national unity.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides that all citizens have the freedom to 
practice or not to practice a religion and gives religious 
denominations the right to pursue their religious aims freely, and the 
Government generally respects these rights in practice.
    The 1989 Law on Religious Freedom requires religious institutions 
and missionary organizations to register with the Ministry of Justice, 
reveal their principal source of funds and provide the names of at 
least 500 followers in good standing. No particular benefits or 
privileges are associated with the registration process.
    In late 1998, there was disagreement in the National Assembly over 
declaring Muslim holy days as official holidays, an issue that surfaces 
periodically. Muslim holidays shift with lunar cycles, complicating 
their calendar placement. The issue was resolved in practice when the 
Government instructed employers to grant liberal leave to both 
Christian and Muslim employees to observe their respective religious 
holidays, in addition to scheduled national holidays.
Religious Demography
    According to the National Institute of Statistics, half of the 
population of 16 to 17 million does not profess to practice a religion 
or creed. However, scholars at local universities assert that virtually 
all persons recognize or practice some form of animism or traditional 
indigenous religions. Of the approximately 8 million persons who do 
profess a recognized religion, 24 percent are Roman Catholic, 22 
percent are Protestant, and 20 percent are Muslim. Many Muslim clerics 
disagree with this statistic, claiming that Islam is the country's 
majority religion. Religious communities are dispersed throughout the 
country. The northern provinces and the coastal strip are most strongly 
Muslim, Catholics predominate in the central provinces, and Protestants 
are most numerous in the southern region. Government sources note that 
evangelical Christians represent the fastest growing religious group, 
with the number of young adherents under age 35 increasing rapidly.
    There are 394 distinct denominations of religions registered with 
the Department of Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Justice. Among 
Muslims, only a generic ``Islamic'' community (Sunni) and the Ismaili 
community are registered. Among Christians, the Roman Catholic, 
Anglican, and Greek Orthodox Churches are registered along with 
Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, Seventh-Day 
Adventist, Mormon, Nazarene, and Jehovah's Witnesses groups, as well as 
scores of evangelical, apostolic, and Pentecostal churches. Jewish, 
Hindu, and Baha'i communities also are registered, and constitute small 
minorities. Many citizens consider the Baha'i Faith to be a ``new 
religion.'' Many of these communities draw members from across ethnic, 
political, and racial lines.
    Traditional indigenous practices and rituals are present in most 
Christian churches, including Catholic churches, and in most Muslim 
worship. For example, members of these faiths commonly travel to the 
graves of ancestors to say special prayers for rain. Similarly, 
Christians and Muslims continue to practice a ritual of preparation or 
inauguration at the time of important events, e.g. a first job, a 
school examination, a swearing-in, etc., by offering prayers and 
spilling beverages on the ground to please ancestors. Some Christians 
and Muslims consult ``curandeiros,'' traditional healers or 
spiritualists--some of whom are themselves nominal Christians or 
Muslims--in search of good luck, healing, and solutions to problems.
    The Government routinely grants visas and residence permits to 
foreign missionaries. Dozens of foreign missionary and evangelical 
groups operate freely in the country, representing numerous Protestant 
denominations along with the Summer Institute of Languages Bible 
Translators and the Tabligh Islamic Call Mission. Muslim missionaries 
from South Africa have established Islamic schools (madrassas) in many 
cities and towns of the northern provinces.
    The Constitution gives religious groups the right to own and 
acquire assets, and these institutions are allowed by law to own and 
operate schools. Religious instruction in public schools is strictly 
prohibited.
    While virtually all places of worship nationalized by the State in 
1977 have been returned to the respective religious organizations, the 
Catholic Church and certain Muslim communities complained that some 
other properties such as schools, health centers, and residences 
unjustly remained in state hands, and continued to press for the return 
of such properties. Government sources stated that the majority of 
property was returned, with a few cases still being examined on an 
individual basis, including two properties in Maputo. In 1982 the 
Ministry of Justice founded the Directorate for Religious Affairs to 
address the issue of the return of church properties. Provincial 
governments have the final responsibility for establishing a process 
for property restoration. The return of church property is perhaps most 
problematic when the facility is currently in use as a public school, 
health clinic, or police station, as funds for construction of new 
facilities are in short supply.
    A conference of bishops, including Catholic and Anglican members, 
meets regularly and consults with the President of the Republic.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The law governing political parties specifically forbids religious 
parties from organizing, and any party from sponsoring religious 
propaganda. In late 1998, the Independent Party of Mozambique (PIMO), a 
predominantly Muslim group without representation in Parliament, began 
arguing for the right of political parties to base their activities on 
religious principles. The Government so far has tolerated PIMO's 
activities, although it has criticized the group. PIMO and some members 
of the legislature argued that the Movimento Islamico, a parliamentary 
caucus of Muslims from the ruling Frelimo party, was itself tantamount 
to a religious party.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    In February 1999, police detained a Pakistani imam for questioning 
in connection with the criminal investigation of the murder and 
decapitation of a young black man. The imam was arrested, released, and 
later taken back into custody. The widely reported case went to the 
Supreme Court, which released the imam in January 2000, clearing him of 
the charges. He has since departed the country. Two men accused of 
perpetrating the murder remain in prison.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among communities of different faiths are generally 
amicable, especially at the grassroots level. The black and Indian 
Islamic communities tend to remain separate; however, there were no 
reports of conflict.
    The 3-year-old Forum of Religions, an organization for social and 
disaster relief composed of members of the Christian Council of 
Mozambique, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the Muslim, Baha'i, and 
Jewish communities is an example of inter-faith cooperation. The goal 
of the forum is to offer collective assistance to the needy, without 
regard to creed. In response to disastrous flooding in February and 
March 2000, numerous religious communities jointly contributed to flood 
relief efforts. Religiously based charities were active in flood relief 
activities, providing monetary donations, food, and clothing.
    In early 2000, civil society and the media highlighted religious 
aspects of draft Family Law legislation. Debate focused on the need for 
legal recognition of religious and common law marriages, as only civil 
marriages are legal at present. Under the proposed law, polygamous 
marriages would not be recognized, although the law would offer 
protection to the widows and children of polygamous unions. Several 
leaders within the Islamic community oppose the proposal for not 
recognizing polygamy. On the other hand, approximately 50 Muslim women 
staged a public protest against polygamy in early May 2000. Some 
Islamic groups oppose a section of the law that would raise the legal 
age of marriage to 16 for both men and women. However, several 
Christian religious groups have proposed higher minimum ages for 
marriage, such as 18 or even 20 years of age.
    There have recently been allegations of misconduct within the 
Anglican Church. According to press reports in April 2000, the Bishop 
of the Anglican Diocese of Niassa was investigated by the Church for 
diverting roughly $30,000 (500 million Meticais). Detractors also have 
accused the Anglican Church of practicing tribal favoritism in 
appointing church leaders.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.
    Embassy staff seeks contact with religious groups of all faiths. 
During an embassy field mission to Beira, the second largest city, the 
Ambassador met with eight leaders of the Muslim community to discuss 
various issues. The Ambassador acted as mediator in a case where an 
American missionary distributed religious tracts inside a mosque during 
Ramadan. The imam of the mosque threatened a lawsuit against the 
missionary for trespassing; the Ambassador was able to intercede and 
defuse the situation. No charges were filed against the missionary, who 
was free to continue his distribution of religious materials outside of 
the mosque.
    During the period covered by this report, the Ambassador met 
periodically with Catholic, Protestant, and Islamic leaders. The 
Embassy also has frequent contact with National Assembly deputies of 
various religious faiths.
                               __________

                                NAMIBIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. There is no state religion, 
nor does the State subsidize any particular denomination.
    The Government does not formally recognize any religion. There are 
no registration requirements for religious organizations.
Religious Demography
    A vast majority of citizens--over 90 percent--identify themselves 
as Christian. The two largest denominations are the Lutheran and Roman 
Catholic Churches, although there are also smaller numbers of Baptists, 
Methodists, and Mormons. The Himba, an ethnic group that constitutes 
less than 1 percent of the population, practice a traditional religion 
oriented toward their natural environment in the desert northwest. 
Other non-Christian denominations include the Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, 
and Baha'i faiths. Practitioners of these religions are predominantly 
immigrants, descendents of immigrants, or converted after recent 
proselytizing. They reside primarily in urban areas.
    Some foreign missionaries have complained about the difficulty of 
obtaining work and residency permits. However, the difficulty that 
religious workers experience in obtaining work and residency permits is 
a bureaucratic impediment that faces all foreign nationals.
    The Government does not have specific programs to promote inter-
faith understanding.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the many religious communities are amicable.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy has sought to convince the Government on a number of occasions 
to revise its policy on granting residence and work permits for foreign 
nationals, including both religious and lay workers. Embassy staff 
members have frequent contact with citizens and foreign visitors from a 
wide variety of religious faiths.
                               __________

                                 NIGER

    The July 1999 Constitution provides for ``the right of the free 
development of each individual in their spiritual, cultural, and 
religious dimensions,'' and the Government supports the freedom to 
practice one's religious beliefs, as long as persons respect public 
order, social peace, and national unity.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There are generally amicable relations between the various 
religious communities, but there have been instances when members of 
the majority religion (Islam) have not been tolerant of the rights of 
members of minority religions to practice their faith.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The July 1999 Constitution provides for ``the right of the free 
development of each individual in their spiritual, cultural, and 
religious dimensions,'' and the Government supports the freedom to 
practice one's religious beliefs, as long as persons respect public 
order, social peace, and national unity.
    Religious organizations must register with the Interior Ministry. 
This registration is a formality, and there is no evidence that it has 
ever been denied.
Religious Demography
    Islam is the dominant religion and is practiced by over 90 percent 
of the population. Christians (including Jehovah's Witnesses) and 
Baha'is practice freely. Islam is dominant throughout the country. The 
cities of Say, Kiota, Agadez, and Madarounfa are considered holy by the 
local Islamic communities, and the practice of other religions in those 
cities is not as well tolerated as in other areas. Christians, both 
Catholics and Protestants, account for less than 5 percent of the 
population and are particularly active in Niamey and other urban 
centers with expatriate populations. As Christianity was the religion 
of French colonial institutions, its followers include many local 
believers from the educated, the elite, and the colonial families, as 
well as Africans from neighboring coastal countries, particularly 
Benin, Togo, and Ghana. There is a Christian community in Galmi, in the 
Tahoua Department, which houses a hospital and health center run by 
Society for International Missions (SIM) missionaries and has been in 
operation for over 40 years. The Baha'is are very active and represent 
a small percentage of the population (in the thousands). They are 
located primarily in Niamey and in communities on the west side of the 
Niger River, bordering Burkina Faso. Followers of the Baha'i faith have 
sponsored religious tolerance campaigns and have had press coverage of 
some of their activities. A small percentage of the population practice 
traditional indigenous religions.
    Christmas and Easter, along with Muslim holy days, are recognized 
national holidays. No religious group is subsidized officially to 
conduct its activities, although the Islamic Association has a weekly 
broadcast on the government-owned (and the only) television station. 
Christian programming generally is broadcast only on special occasions 
like Christmas.
    The State must authorize construction of any place of worship.
    Foreign missionaries work freely, but their organizations must be 
registered officially as associations.
    Active Christian missionary organizations include Southern Baptist, 
Evangelical Baptist, Catholic, Assemblies of God, Seventh-Day 
Adventist, SIM, and Jehovah's Witnesses. Beyond proselytizing, most 
missionary groups generally offer development assistance as well.
    There were instances during the period covered by this report in 
which local police were not confident that they could ensure the safety 
of foreign missionaries, and local authorities ordered the closure of a 
church in Niamey but did not enforce it (see Section II).
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations between the various 
religious communities, but there have been instances when members of 
the majority religion (Islam) have not been tolerant of the rights of 
members of minority religions to practice their faith.
    Starting in 1998, Southern Baptist missionaries in Say faced 
harassment by members of the majority Islamic community. When the 
missionaries notified the authorities, they were told that, while it 
was within their rights to be there, the local police could not ensure 
their safety.
    The harassment continued through September 1999, when the 
missionaries decided to leave the area for a new location. One family 
has relocated to Gotheye, and the other one continues its missionary 
activities in the region but no longer lives in Say. However, local 
Christians remain in Say.
    On May 14, 2000, the same members of the local Islamic community in 
Say threatened to burn down the meeting place of the local Christians 
who remained. Leaders of the same organization also threatened to beat 
or have arrested a local Christian man in the village of Ouro Sidi 
because he continued to work with the Southern Baptists. There were no 
reports that such threats were carried out.
    Just after the April 1999 coup, the Assemblies of God church in the 
capital, Niamey, was notified by the mayor's office that it had to 
close until the ``new order'' was established, (presumably until a 
democratically elected government is in place, in early 2000). The 
church has been in its location since 1996 and has had an ongoing 
problem with one of it neighbors, another Christian group who had been 
trying actively to have the church closed since its establishment. The 
Assemblies of God church remains open, and no further action was ever 
taken on the case.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy regularly emphasizes the importance of a spirit of tolerance in 
its public statements and in meetings with government officials and 
members of civil society.
    The Embassy maintains good relationships with minority religious 
groups, most of which are long-term resident missionaries and well-
known members of the American community. Embassy personnel also have 
contact with the Catholic mission, the Baha'i community, and Islamic 
organizations.
    Embassy officers on August 31, 1999, met with the Interior Minister 
to discuss the situation of the missionaries in Say and on September 
15, 1999, met with the Secretary General of the Interior Ministry. 
Following the report of a new threat, an embassy officer on May 18, 
2000, met with the director of political and judicial affairs at the 
Interior Ministry and raised embassy concerns about the renewed threats 
to Christians in the Say region. The director replied that such 
incidents could not be tolerated in a secular state and promised to 
look into it.
                               __________

                                NIGERIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, including 
freedom to change one's religion or belief, and freedom to manifest and 
propagate one's religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice, and 
observance; however, the Government restricted these rights in practice 
in certain respects.
    The status of respect for religious freedom deteriorated during the 
year due to the implementation of an expanded version of Shari'a law in 
several northern states, which challenged constitutional protections 
for religious freedom and sparked interreligious violence. The 
Constitution prohibits state and local governments from adopting an 
official religion; however, it also provides that states may elect to 
use Islamic (Shari'a) customary law and courts.
    Government discrimination based on religion and societal tension 
between different religious groups continued. Although Christians were 
exempt from the law, the societal ramifications of expanded Shari'a law 
infringed upon the rights of non-Muslims in the north to live in a 
society governed by secular laws. Plans to implement expanded Shari'a 
laws in Kaduna state, which has a large Christian population, sparked 
violence in February 2000 that lasted for several days and resulted in 
an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 deaths. Reprisal attacks followed in the 
predominantly Christian southeastern towns of Aba, Owerri, and Onitsha, 
resulting in an additional 500 deaths. The violence, although initiated 
in a religious context, had strong ethnic undertones and was the worst 
the country had experienced since the civil war of 1967-1970. The 
violence led several state governments to restrict public preaching, 
religious processions, and meetings. The national turmoil surrounding 
the Shari'a issue abated by mid-2000, but the issue was not resolved 
completely by June 30, 2000.
    U.S. Embassy officials frequently discuss the political and social 
situation with various religious leaders, who play a prominent role in 
civil society and in the human rights community. Embassy officers 
raised religious freedom issues with government officials in the 
context of the embassy's overall efforts to promote respect for human 
rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, including 
freedom to change one's religion or belief, and freedom to manifest and 
propagate one's religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice, and 
observance; however, the Government restricted these rights in practice 
in certain respects.
    The Constitution prohibits state and local Governments from 
adopting an official religion; however, it also provides that states 
may elect to use Islamic (Shari'a) customary law and courts. There are 
36 states in the country; governors have autonomy in decision-making 
but derive their resources from the federal government. Since 
independence, the jurisdiction of Shari'a courts has been limited to 
family or personal law cases involving Muslims, or to civil disputes 
between Muslims who consent to the courts' jurisdiction. However, the 
Constitution states that a Shari'a court of appeal may exercise ``such 
other jurisdiction as may be conferred upon it by the law of the 
State.'' Some states have interpreted this language as granting them 
the right to expand the jurisdiction of existing Shari'a courts to 
include criminal matters. Several Christians have alleged that, with 
the adoption of an expanded Shari'a law in several states and the 
continued use of state funds to fund the construction of mosques, 
teaching of Alkalis (Muslim judges), and pilgrimages to Mecca (Hajj), 
Islam has been adopted as the de facto state religion of several 
northern states. However, state funds also are used to fund Christian 
pilgrimages to Jerusalem. In general states with a clear Christian or 
Muslim majority explicitly favor the majority faith. The Constitution 
also provides that the federal Government is to establish a Federal 
Shari'a Court of Appeal and Final Court of Appeal; however, the 
Government had not yet established such courts by the end of the period 
covered by this report.
    On October 8, 1999, the governor of Zamfara state, Ahmed Sani, 
signed a bill establishing Shari'a courts and courts of appeal in 
Zamfara state, and another bill that constitutes the Shari'a penal 
code; the bills took effect on January 27, 2000. Zamfara's law adopted 
traditional Shari'a in its entirety, with the exception that apostasy 
was not criminalized. Other Muslim communities, particularly from the 
states of Kano, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, and Katsina 
states, began to echo the call for Shari'a in their states. At the end 
of the period covered by this report, four northern states had adopted 
variations of Shari'a law--Zamfara, Kano, Niger, and Sokoto. In May 
2000, an international human rights nongovernmental organization (NGO), 
Huri-Laws, took the Zamfara state government to court, challenging the 
constitutionality of Zamfara's expanded Shari'a penal code. The case 
was ongoing as of June 30, 2000.
    Following violence in relation to the expansion of Shari'a laws in 
Kaduna in February 2000, several northern state governments banned any 
type of proselytizing, in spite of the fact that it is permitted by the 
Constitution.
Religious Demography
    About half of the country's population practice Islam, about 40 
percent practice Christianity, and about 10 percent practice 
exclusively traditional indigenous religions or no religion; many 
persons practice both elements of Christianity or Islam and elements of 
a traditional indigenous religion. The predominant form of Islam in the 
country is Sunni. The Christian population includes Roman Catholics, 
Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, and a growing number of followers of 
evangelical Pentecostal groups. Catholics constitute the largest 
Christian denomination. There is some correlation between religious 
differences and ethnic and regional differences. The north, which is 
dominated by the large Hausa and Fulani (Peuhl) ethnic groups, is 
predominantly Muslim, with significant populations of Christians in 
urban centers, particularly in Kaduna and Jos. In the southwest, where 
the large Yoruba ethnic group is dominant, there is no dominant 
religion; Islam is practiced in a plurality, but probably not a 
majority, of the largest cities of the region, due in part to Hausa and 
Fulani communities in those regions. Many Yorubas practice Islam, many 
practice Christianity, and many continue to practice the traditional 
Yoruba religion, which includes both a belief in a single supreme deity 
and the worship of lesser deities believed to serve as the agents of 
that supreme deity with respect to specific aspects of daily life. In 
the east, where the large Igbo ethnic group is dominant, Catholics are 
in the majority, although many Igbos continue to observe traditional 
rites and ceremonies.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The law prohibits religious discrimination. Nonetheless, reports 
were common that government officials discriminated against persons 
practicing a religion different from their own, notably in hiring or 
awarding contracts. Christians in the northern, predominantly Muslim 
part of the country accused local government officials of attempting to 
use zoning regulations to stop or slow the establishment of non-Muslim, 
usually Christian, churches. Typically, a small section of a city was 
designated for nonMuslims to build their places of worship. In several 
cases, citizens in these enclaves reported that they were discriminated 
against by not receiving police protection or waste removal services.
    On October 8, 1999, the governor of Zamfara state signed into law 
two bills aimed at instituting Islamic Shari'a law in his state. 
Implementation of the law began on January 22, 2000. Following 
Zamfara's lead, several northern states includint Sokoto, Niger, and 
Kano states began to implement varying forms of expanded Shari'a. 
Previously, Shari'a law had been practiced in the north in the areas of 
personal law, only if both litigants agreed to settle their disputes in 
Shari'a courts. Elements of Shari'a also had been present in the 
northern penal code, which had been applicable in the north since 
independence.
    As the result of nationwide violence in February and March 2000 
related to the expansion of Shari'a laws (see Section II), several 
northern state governments banned open air preaching and public 
religious processions. The Kogi state government enacted such a ban on 
March 1, 2000. The Kaduna state government followed shortly thereafter, 
enacting a ban on all forms of ``processions, rallies, demonstrations, 
and meetings in public places.'' On March 23, 2000, Gombe state 
officials arrested 19 reportedly peaceful persons for ``unlawful 
assembly capable of causing a breach of peace in the state.'' Such bans 
were viewed as necessary public safety measures after the death of 
approximately 1,500 persons. However, large outdoor religious 
gatherings continued to be quite common, especially in the southern 
part of the country.
    On February 29, 2000, in response to this nationwide violence, 
President Olusegun Obasanjo convened a meeting of the Nigerian Council 
of State, a consultative body consisting of the President and Vice 
President, all past heads of state and past chief justices, all 
governors, the Attorney General, and the President of the Senate and 
Speaker of the House. The result of the meeting was an agreement that 
northern governors would halt initiatives to expand Shari'a and return 
to the northern Nigerian Penal Code.
    Although the expanded Shari'a laws technically do not apply to 
Christians, the Christian minority, especially in Zamfara state, was 
subjected to many of the social provisions of the law, such as the 
separation of the sexes in public transportation vehicles (a law that 
was repealed after only 2 weeks) and bans on the selling of alcohol. 
Niger state also enforced a ban on selling alcohol. However, the 
federal Government has disregarded the ban on alcohol sales in military 
installations. All Muslims were subjected to the new Shari'a provisions 
in the states that enacted them, which, according to many legal 
scholars, constitute an abridgement of their freedom of religion and 
conscience.
    The Constitution states that ``no person attending any place of 
education shall be required to receive religious instruction or to take 
part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance if such 
instruction, ceremony, or observance relates to a religion other than 
his own.'' The Government continued to enforce a 1987 ban on religious 
organizations on campuses of primary schools, although individual 
students retain the right to practice their religions in recognized 
places of worship. Islam is a mandatory part of the curriculum in 
public schools in Zamfara and other northern states, to the exclusion 
of Christianity.
    According to the governor of Zamfara, Shari'a is supposed to apply 
to Muslims only; however, schoolchildren continue to be segregated by 
gender in Zamfara schools and preparations were underway for separate 
transportation and health facilities for men and women. The governor of 
Zamfara also disbursed public funds to refurbish mosques and pronounced 
that only persons with beards would win government contracts. In May 
2000, Kebbi state also began to separate schoolchildren by gender.
    Although distribution of religious publications remained generally 
unrestricted, the Government continued to enforce lightly a ban on 
published religious advertisements. There were reports by Christians in 
Zamfara state that the state government restricted the distribution of 
religious (Christian) literature. The Right Reverend Samson Bala, First 
Bishop of Zamfara, Gusau diocese, said that the state radio station had 
``closed its doors to Christians.'' Commercials and paid advertisements 
containing Christian literature are not accepted, he said, and only 
Islamic religious programs are aired.
    Foreign missionary groups operate in the country and do not face 
restrictions specifically designed to deter their activities. Many 
missionary groups have noted bureaucratic delays and obstruction and 
attempts to extort money for the processing of necessary residence 
permits for foreigners; however, many foreign businesses and other 
nonreligious organizations also have encountered similar difficulties. 
Rough estimates put the number of foreign missionaries at over 1,000, 
with many in the area around Jos, in Plateau state. The main Christian 
missionary groups include Jesuits, Dominicans, the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), the Church of Christ, and the 
Society for International Missions.
    Following nationwide Shari'a-related violence in February and March 
2000, public proselytizing in many northern states was banned, although 
it is permitted by the Constitution. Missionaries reported that law 
enforcement officials harassed them when they proselytized outside of 
their designated zones. Both Christian and Muslim organizations alleged 
that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Department 
restricted the entry into the country of certain religious 
practitioners, particularly persons suspected of intending to 
proselytize. Proselytizing did not appear to be restricted in the 
southern part of the country.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In March 2000, the government of Zamfara state, under its newly 
expanded Shari'a statutes, amputated the right hand of a cow thief. The 
victim was quoted as saying that he voluntarily submitted to the full 
Shari'a proceedings, including amputation. After being convicted, he 
was entitled to an appeal, a right that he willingly waived. Other 
convicted Muslim criminals in Zamfara state were subjected to public 
floggings for various minor offenses.
    There were no reports of detainees or prisoners imprisoned solely 
on religious grounds. In May 1999, the predominantly Shi'a Muslim 
Brotherhood published a list of 96 of its followers who were in prison 
or awaiting trial on charges that varied from preaching without a 
license to homicide. By the end of 1999, Ibrahim el-Zakzaky, the leader 
of the Muslim Brotherhood, was released from prison, along with most of 
the 96 followers who had been jailed in 1999.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II: Societal Attitudes

    The law prohibits religious discrimination. Private businesses 
frequently are guilty of informal religious and ethnic discrimination 
in their hiring practices and purchasing patterns.
    Religious differences often correspond to regional and ethnic 
differences. For example, the northern region is overwhelmingly Muslim, 
as are the large Hausa and Fulani ethnic groups of that area. Many 
southern ethnic groups are predominantly Christian. Consequently, it is 
often difficult to distinguish religious discrimination and violence 
from ethnic and regional discrimination and violence, which is 
pervasive. The violence of the past year, although sparked by Muslim 
attempts to expand Shari'a law, had strong ethnic undertones, 
particularly the retributive violence that occurred in the southeast.
    When Kaduna state announced plans to implement Shari'a law, the 
large Christian minority in the state protested on February 21, 2000, 
leading to several days of violent confrontations. Estimates of the 
number of persons killed range from 1,000 to 1,500; many churches and 
mosques were burned. Many Christians in the north, fearing continued 
violence, returned to their historic homelands in the southeast.
    On February 28, 2000, when the bodies of the victims from the 
Kaduna violence were returned home to the southeast, reciprocal 
violence erupted in Aba, Abia state, and, to a lesser extent, in the 
neighboring towns of Owerri, Imo state, and Onitsha, Anambra state. 
This violence was characterized by attacks on the minority Muslim 
Hausas by the majority Igbos. Estimates of the number of persons killed 
range from 400 to 500. Many of the Hausas were victimized due to their 
ethnic identity rather than their religious beliefs.
    In spite of the February 2000 agreement that northern governors 
would halt initiatives to expand Shari'a (see Section I), a few states 
continued to expand their Shari'a laws. Niger state declared that it 
would expand Shari'a laws on the same day as the Council of State 
meeting, and the amputation of the cow thief's right hand in Zamfara 
state occurred on March 23, 2000 (see Section I), 3 weeks after the 
Council of State agreement. Nonetheless, the broad political 
accommodation reached between the Government and the state governors on 
Shari'a appeared to be holding at the end of the period covered by this 
report, especially after public criticism at the amputation of the cow 
thief's hand. A court case challenging the constitutionality of 
Zamfara's Shari'a penal code was ongoing on June 30, 2000.
    Following the violence related to the expansion of Shari'a laws, 
several committees were established, both by government officials and 
by religious leaders, to work for peace and a better understanding 
between Christians and Muslims, and to obtain a solution to the Shari'a 
debate. However, the efforts of these various committees did not result 
in a permanent solution as to how, or if, Shari'a will be permitted to 
expand into the criminal code of states that so desire it, by mid-2000.
    In July 2000, a Hausa woman who violated a religious taboo against 
women viewing a Yoruba festival was killed by a mob. This incident 
ignited reciprocal violence on July 21, 1999 in the northern, 
predominantly-Hausa city of Kano, with the Hausa majority attacking the 
Yoruba minority. Approximately 80 persons died over a 4-day period; the 
majority of the victims were Yorubas.
    In December 1999, in two attacks, 16 churches were burned and 1 
clergyman was injured seriously by Muslim youths in the town of Ilorin, 
Kwara state. The churches reportedly were located in the Muslim part of 
town. The reason for the attacks was not clear. The Government's 
response was limited to pleas for calm and understanding, and there was 
no attempt to prosecute the perpetrators.
    In addition to the violence related to the expansion of Shari'a law 
in Kaduna, Aba, Owerri, and Onitsha, there was civil unrest on March 7, 
2000 in Sokoto following a pro-Shari'a rally by university students. 
Although there were no confirmed deaths, at least one church was burned 
and two others were vandalized. Local Christians sought refuge in 
military barracks, but they returned to their homes once calm was 
restored.
    On March 27, 2000, at least one person was killed and several were 
injured in Borno state when a long-festering argument over the location 
of a church escalated into violence between Muslims and Christians. The 
church in question also was burned down.
    On May 22 and 23, 2000, rioting erupted in Nayari, Kaduna state 
after Christian residents found the body of a person whom they believed 
to have been a Christian and killed by Muslims. Christians retaliated 
against Muslims and almost completely destroyed Muslim residences and 
businesses, causing many Muslim residents to flee. Press reports 
indicated that as many as 200 persons were killed, although this total 
could not be confirmed. The exact cause of the outbreak remains 
unclear, although some observers believe that the violence was 
organized and preplanned by Kaduna Christians in order to prevent 
Muslims from returning to the neighborhood to rebuild their community 
following the violence related to the expansion of Shari'a laws in 
February 2000.

                  Section III: U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Embassy officials frequently discuss the political and social 
situation with various religious leaders, who play a prominent role in 
civil society and in the human rights community. Embassy officers 
raised religious freedom issues with government officials in the 
context of the Embassy's overall efforts to promote respect for human 
rights. The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Embassy and in statements 
from officials in Washington, sought to encourage a peaceful resolution 
to the Shari'a issue and urged that human rights and religious freedom 
be respected in any resolution.
                               __________

                                 RWANDA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, it 
imposes some restrictions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Local officials on several occasions briefly detained persons who, 
on religious grounds, refused to participate in nighttime security 
patrols or cooperate in other government programs. There were 
unconfirmed reports that members of Jehovah's Witnesses were subject to 
harassment, arrest, and detention by authorities during the first 6 
months of 2000. There was some tension between the Government and the 
Catholic Church over the trial of a bishop on genocide charges, and 
over the Government's continued determination to preserve some massacre 
sites in churches as genocide memorials. Relations among religions were 
generally amicable. Concern over the doomsday cult-related deaths in 
Uganda led the Government to caution local officials to watch for 
similar cults in Rwanda.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, it 
imposes some restrictions. There is no state religion. The law provides 
for small fines and imprisonment for up to 6 months for anyone who 
interferes with a religious ceremony or with a minister in the exercise 
of his profession.
    The Government requires nonprofit organizations, including 
religious groups, to register with the Ministry of Justice in order to 
acquire ``juridical existence.'' This registration generally is routine 
and not burdensome. Relevant legislation makes no provision for tax-
exempt status for such organizations. Failure to register leaves an 
organization unable to legally conclude agreements with other 
organizations, including agreements to receive assistance.
Religious Demography
    A 1996 sociodemographic survey by the Ministry of Finance, the 
Government's population office, and the U.N. Population Fund reported 
that 57.2 percent of the population identified themselves as Roman 
Catholic, 24 percent as Protestant, l.4 percent as Adventist, 1.9 
percent as Muslim, and that 4.5 percent professed no religion. There is 
also a small community of Baha'is and several congregations of 
Jehovah's Witnesses. There has been a proliferation of small, usually 
Christianlinked sects since the 1994 genocide.
    Foreign missionaries and church-linked nongovernmental 
organizations (NGO's) of various faiths operate in the country. The 
Government has welcomed their development assistance. Missionaries 
openly promote their religious beliefs.
    There is no indication that religious belief is linked directly to 
membership in any political party. Of the eight parties, the only one 
with a religious component to its name--the Democratic Islamic Party--
claims to have non-Muslim members.
    The Government permits religious instruction in public schools. In 
some cases, students are given a choice between instruction in 
``religion'' or ``morals.'' Many years ago, missionaries established 
schools that are now operated by the Government. In those schools, 
religious instruction tends to reflect the denomination of the 
founders, either Catholic or Protestant. Christian and Muslim private 
schools operate as well.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government forbids religious meetings at night on the grounds 
that insurgents formerly used the guise of nighttime ``religious 
meetings'' to assemble their supporters before attacking nearby 
targets.
    After the doomsday cult-related deaths in Uganda in March 2000, the 
Government cautioned local officials to be alert to similar cults in 
Rwanda. Following this caution from the Government, in April 2000, 
local officials detained nine leaders and members of a religious 
organization called the Evangelic Ministry in Africa and the World in 
Byumba prefecture, near the border with Uganda. This organization had 
convinced a number of persons to leave work or school and surrender 
their material possessions in expectation of an imminent second-coming 
of Christ.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Local officials on several occasions briefly detained persons who, 
on religious grounds, refused to participate in nighttime security 
patrols or cooperate in other government programs. Among the detainees 
were adherents of ``Temperance'' and ``Abagorozi,'' both said to be 
offshoots of the Adventist Church and Jehovah's Witnesses.
    Several members of the clergy of various faiths, notably 
Catholicism, have faced charges of genocide in both Rwandan courts and 
the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). In June 2000, a 
Rwandan Court found Roman Catholic Bishop Augustin Misago not guilty of 
all charges related to his actions during the 1994 genocide. He was 
released soon after the decision was announced.
    Catholic officials have charged that the Government is prejudiced 
against the Church. Catholic officials also have criticized the 
determination of the Government to maintain some massacre sites in 
churches as memorials to the genocide, rather than returning the 
buildings to the Church.
    There were unconfirmed reports that members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
were subject to harassment, arrest, and detention by authorities during 
the first 6 months of 2000. Despite these accusations, there does not 
appear to be a pattern of systemic government discrimination against 
any particular religious group.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the different religious groups generally are 
amicable. Disputes between religious groups are rare.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. Embassy officials maintain regular contact with leaders 
and members of the religious communities in the country.
                               __________

                         SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
respects this right in practice. The Government at all levels generally 
protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its abuse, either by 
governmental or private actors. There is no state religion.
Religious Demography
    The country is predominantly Roman Catholic. Approximately 90 
percent of the population are Catholic, 5 percent practice traditional 
indigenous religions, 5 percent are atheist, and less than 1 percent 
are Protestant.
    There are no restrictions on the activities of foreign clergy. 
There are Catholic and Protestant missionaries in the country. 
Missionaries of other religions also operated unhindered.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy, based in Libreville, Gabon, discusses religious 
freedom issues with the Government in the overall context of the 
promotion of human rights.
    In addition, embassy officials regularly meet with the country's 
Catholic bishop during visits.
                               __________

                                SENEGAL

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government maintains relations with all major religious 
groups in the country and discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The Constitution 
specifically defines the country as a secular state and provides for 
the free practice of religious beliefs, provided public order is 
maintained.
    Religious organizations are completely independent of the 
Government and in practice administer their affairs without government 
interference. While individuals and groups may practice their beliefs 
without government sanction, any group--religious or other--that wants 
to form an association with legal status must register with the 
Minister of the Interior in accordance with the civil and commercial 
code. Registration, which generally is granted, enables an association 
to conduct business, including owning property, establishing a bank 
account, and receiving financial contributions from any private source. 
Registered religious groups, like all registered nonprofit 
organizations, also are exempt from many forms of taxation. The 
Minister of Interior must have a legal basis for refusing registration. 
There were no reports of any applications for such registration being 
delayed or denied during the period covered by this report.
    Religious organizations can receive direct financial and material 
assistance from the Government. While there is no official system of 
government grants, the importance of religion in society often results 
in the Government providing grants to religious groups to maintain 
their places of worship or undertake special events. The Government 
also provides funds through the Ministry of Education to schools 
operated by religious institutions that meet national education 
standards. In practice, Christian schools, which have a long and 
successful experience in education, receive the largest share of this 
government funding.
Religious Demography
    According to current government demographic data, Islam is by far 
the predominant religion and is practiced by approximately 94 percent 
of the country's population. There is also an active Christian 
community (4 percent), including Roman Catholics and diverse Protestant 
denominations. Two percent (the rest of the population) practice 
exclusively traditional indigenous religions or no religion.
    The country is ethnically and religiously diverse. Although there 
is significant integration of all groups, there are still identifiable 
geographic concentrations of some religious groups. The Christian 
minority is concentrated in the western and southern regions of the 
country, while groups that practice traditional religions are 
concentrated in the eastern and southern regions.
    As the Constitution provides for separation of religion and state, 
religious education or worship is not permitted in public schools. 
Privately-owned schools, whether or not they receive government grants, 
may provide religious education. The majority of students attending 
Christian schools are Muslims.
    A large variety of foreign missionary groups operate in the 
country, including Catholics, Protestant denominations, independent 
missionaries, and Jehovah's Witnesses. Missionaries, like other long-
term visitors, must obtain a residence visa issued by the Interior 
Ministry. Religious groups, including Islamic groups, often establish a 
presence in the country as nongovernmental organizations (NGO's). NGO's 
already registered in a foreign country obtain permission to operate in 
the country from the Minister of the Family, Social Action, and 
National Solidarity. Both religious and nonreligious NGO's are very 
active in providing social services and administering economic 
development assistance programs.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government monitors foreign missionary groups, and religious 
and nonreligious NGO's, to ensure that their activities coincide with 
their stated objectives. In the past, the Government has expelled such 
groups from the country when their activities were judged to be 
political in nature and a threat to public order. There were no reports 
of any foreign religious groups being asked to leave the country during 
the period covered by this report.
    The Government encourages and helps to organize Muslim 
participation in the Hajj every year. It also provides similar 
assistance for an annual Catholic pilgrimage to the Vatican.
    While there is no specific government-sponsored institution to 
promote inter-faith dialog, the Government generally seeks to promote 
religious harmony by maintaining relations with all important religious 
groups. Senior government officials regularly consult with religious 
leaders and the Government generally is represented at all major 
religious festivals or events.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Religion plays an important role in the life of most citizens, and 
society is generally very open and tolerant of different religious 
faiths. The country has a long tradition of amicable and tolerant 
coexistence between the Muslim majority and the Christian, traditional 
indigenous, and other religious minorities. Inter-faith marriage is 
relatively common and within certain families other religious faiths, 
such as Christianity or a traditional indigenous religion, are 
practiced alongside Islam.
    Islamic communities generally are organized around one of several 
brotherhoods, headed by a Khalif who is a direct descendant of the 
group's founder. The two largest and most prominent of these 
brotherhoods are the Tidjanes, based in the city of Tivouane, and the 
Mourides, based in the city of Touba. At times there have been disputes 
within the different brotherhoods over questions of succession or 
general authority. However, relations between these Islamic subgroups 
generally have been peaceful and cooperative. In recent years a 
National Committee to Coordinate Sightings of the Moon and hence the 
designation of Muslim holy days has been formed at the suggestion of 
the Government, effectively increasing cooperation among the Islamic 
subgroups.
    While the brotherhoods are not involved directly in politics or 
government affairs, these groups exert considerable influence in 
society and therefore maintain a dialog with political leaders. Close 
association with a brotherhood, as with any influential community 
leader, religious or secular, may afford certain political and economic 
protections and advantages that are not conferred by law. During the 
campaign for the presidential elections held in February and March 
2000, candidates consulted with and sought support of both Muslim and 
Christian religious leaders. While some religious leaders issued 
instructions to their followers to vote for certain candidates, this 
attempt to influence voters was not widely practiced and the election 
results revealed no apparent patterns of voting along religious lines. 
Of the six presidential candidates, only one represented a religious-
based party founded by the leader of a small Islamic community. This 
candidate received less than 1 percent of the vote.
    Leaders of the larger religious groups, both Islamic and Christian, 
have long maintained a public dialog with one another. For example, the 
former Archbishop who led the country's Catholic community and the 
Khalifs of the larger Islamic brotherhoods have for decades contributed 
to a positive inter-faith dialog. The Catholic-sponsored Brottier 
Center has promoted debate and dialog between Muslims and Christians on 
political and social issues that confront the country.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains relations with all major religious 
groups in the country. The Ambassador meets with the leaders or their 
representatives at various times throughout the year to discuss social 
and political issues. The Embassy maintains contacts with several 
religiously-based NGO's, Western missionary groups operating in the 
country, and human rights organizations and activists in order to 
monitor issues of religious freedom. The Ambassador or his 
representative regularly attends all major annual religious festivals 
or gatherings to promote an open dialog with various religious groups.
                               __________

                               SEYCHELLES

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of religious freedom during the 
period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    The Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Seventh-Day Adventist churches 
and the Islamic mosques each have their own acts of incorporation. The 
Baha'i local spiritual assembly was incorporated in 1999. Other 
churches that are not a body corporate are registered as associations 
with the Registrar General and are entitled to tax-free privileges, 
similar to a charity. All religious organizations must register in 
order to be entitled to tax-free privileges. If an organization does 
not want tax-free privileges, it does not have to register.
    The Government has not demonstrated favoritism toward one religion 
over another in the past, but in early 2000 the Seychelles National 
Party (SNP), which is the opposition political party and is led by an 
Anglican minister, claimed that the Government gave a grant of $164,000 
(SRS 900,000) to the Baha'i faith in 1999, following its incorporation. 
According to the SNP, this grant has not been offered to other faiths 
that have been established recently in the country. The Government has 
not responded to the SNP's claim. In May 2000, the Government announced 
that its employees who are Baha'i are allowed to take unpaid leave on 
Baha'i holy days. This leave has not been available previously to 
members of the Baha'i or other faiths. At the time of the announcement, 
the Government also stated that other religions could submit 
applications for the recognition of similar unpaid leave days. 
President France Albert Rene's wife of 10 years is a member of the 
Baha'i Faith while the majority of the government ministers are 
Catholic.
Religious Demography
    According to figures gathered in the 1994 census, 88 percent of the 
population are Roman Catholic and 8 percent are Anglican. There are 
other Christian churches, including Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, 
the Assembly of God, the Pentecostal Church, and Jehovah's Witnesses. 
Hinduism, Islam, and the Baha'i Faith also are practiced. Almost 50 
percent of the population are estimated to regularly practice their 
faith.
    The Government tends to remain outside of religious matters, but 
provides program time to different religious organizations on the 
national radio broadcasting service. On Sundays a radio broadcast of a 
Catholic Mass alternates each week with a broadcast of an Anglican 
service. All other faiths, including Islam, Adventist and Baha'i, are 
entitled to a 15-minute radio broadcast one Sunday a month.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations among the various religious groups and 
tolerance for individual religious choice.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                              SIERRA LEONE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in the society contribute to the free practice of 
religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    The Government does not have requirements for recognizing, 
registering, or regulating religious groups.
Religious Demography
    Reliable data on the exact numbers of those who practice major 
religions are not available. However, most sources estimate that the 
population is 60 percent Muslim, 30 percent Christian, and 10 percent 
practitioners of traditional indigenous religions.
    Historically, most Muslims have been concentrated in the northern 
areas of the country, and Christians were located in the south. 
However, the ongoing civil war has resulted in movement by major 
segments of the population.
    According to sources, many syncretistic practices exist, with up to 
20 percent of the population practicing a mixture of Muslim and 
traditional indigenous practices or Christian and traditional 
indigenous practices.
    The Government permits religious instruction in public schools. 
Students are allowed to choose whether they attend either Muslim- or 
Christian-oriented classes.
    The Government has not taken any specific steps to promote inter-
faith understanding.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
    In the past, rebel forces have attacked both churches and mosques 
and targeted Christian and Muslim religious leaders. In particular, the 
rebels have targeted Roman Catholic priests and nuns largely on the 
assumption that the Church would pay ransom for their return and 
because troops from the Economic Organization (of West African States) 
Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) used their missionary radio network in 
support of the Government. During the period covered by this report, 
some religious leaders were targeted by rebels for their peacekeeping 
activities as members of civil society, not because of their religion.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities, and inter-faith marriage is common. The Inter-Religious 
Council (IRC), composed of Christian and Muslim leaders, plays a vital 
role in civil society and actively participates in efforts to further 
the peace process. The IRC criticizes the use of force and atrocities 
committed by the rebels, endorses reconciliation and peace talks, and 
facilitates rehabilitation of the victims affected by the war, 
including former child soldiers.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.
                               __________

                                SOMALIA

    There is no constitution and no legal provision for the protection 
of religious freedom; there were some limits on religious freedom.
    There is no central government, but some local administrations, 
including the ``Republic of Somaliland'' and ``Puntland,'' have made 
Islam the official religion in their regions. Local tradition and past 
law make proselytization a crime for any religion except Islam. Non-
Sunni Muslims often are viewed with suspicion by members of the Sunni 
majority. Christians and other non-Muslims who proclaim their religion 
sometimes face societal harassment.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The U.S. Government does not maintain an official presence in 
Somalia. This lack of diplomatic representation has limited the U.S. 
Government's ability to take action to promote religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies of Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    There is no constitution and no legal provision for the protection 
of religious freedom; there were some limits on religious freedom.
    There is no central government, but some local administrations, 
including the ``Republic of Somaliland'' and ``Puntland'', have made 
Islam the official religion in their regions. The judiciary in most 
regions relies on some combination of traditional and customary law 
(Xeer), Shari'a law, the penal code of the pre-1991 Siad Barre 
government, or some combination of the three. There are five Islamic 
courts operating in Mogadishu, which are aligned with different 
subclans, raising doubts about their independence. These courts 
generally refrained from administering the stricter Islamic 
punishments, such as amputation, but their militias administered 
summary punishments, including executions, in the city and its 
environs. With the collapse in December 1998 of the Shari'a courts in 
north Mogadishu headed by Sheikh Ali Dere, the application of physical 
punishment appears to have ceased.
    In March 1999, the Minister of Religion in Somaliland issued a list 
of instructions and definitions on religious practices. Under the new 
rules, religious schools and places of worship are required to obtain 
the Ministry of Religion's permission to operate. Entry visas for 
religious groups must be approved by the Ministry, and certain 
unspecified doctrines are prohibited.
Religious Demography
    Citizens are overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim. There are a small number 
of non-Sunni Muslims. There is also a small, extremely low-profile 
Christian community, in addition to small numbers of adherents of other 
religions. In Somaliland, the number of adherents of radical Islam is 
growing. In 1999 there was an influx of foreign Muslims into Hargeisa 
in Somaliland, reportedly Islamic teachers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, 
and Sudan (see Section II).
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Local tradition and past law make proselytization a crime for any 
religion except Islam. Proselytizing for any religion except Islam is 
prohibited by law in Puntland and Somaliland. Christian-based 
international relief organizations generally operate without 
interference, provided that they refrain from proselytizing.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the refusal by local authorities to allow such 
citizens to be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Non-Sunni Muslims often are viewed with suspicion by members of the 
Sunni majority. There is strong social pressure to respect Islamic 
traditions, especially in enclaves controlled by radical Islamists, 
such as Luuq in the Gedo region. There was an increase in religious 
intolerance among Muslims by Al'Ittihad, a local radical Islamic group. 
In north Mogadishu, Al'Ittihad forcibly took over two mosques. There 
reportedly have been other mosque takeovers in Puntland and Lower 
Shabelle.
    On June 15, 2000, a group of conservative Muslims threw a hand 
grenade into the compound of the Italian NGO COSV in Merca. The attack 
started out as a protest against alleged Christian proselytizing by 
teachers at COSV-funded schools. No one was injured in the attack, but 
staff members were evacuated, and COSV programs were suspended for 2 
weeks.
    In 1999 there was an influx of foreign Muslim teachers into 
Hargeisa in Somaliland to teach in new private Koranic schools. These 
schools are inexpensive and provide basic education; however, there 
were reports that these schools required the veiling of small girls and 
other conservative Islamic practices not normally found in Somali 
culture.
    There is a small, low-profile Christian community. Christians, as 
well as other non-Muslims, who proclaim their religion sometimes face 
societal harassment.
    There are no ecumenical movements or activities to promote greater 
religious toleration.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government does not maintain an official presence in 
Somalia. This lack of diplomatic representation has limited the U.S. 
Government's ability to take action to promote religious freedom.
                               __________

                              SOUTH AFRICA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The Bill of 
Rights, included in the Constitution, specifically provides for and 
protects the freedom of religion. The Bill of Rights prohibits the 
State from unfairly discriminating directly or indirectly against 
anyone on the ground of religion, and it states that persons belonging 
to a religious community may not be denied the right, with other 
members of that community, to practice their religion and to form, 
join, and maintain religious associations. Cases of discrimination 
against a person on the grounds of religious freedom can be taken to 
the Constitutional Court.
    Religious groups are not required to be licensed or registered.
Religious Demography
    According to a 1996 census, approximately 77 percent of a 
population of more than 42 million adhere to the Christian faith. 
Hindus and Muslims each account for approximately 1 percent of the 
population, and about 0.4 percent are Jewish. There also are small 
numbers of followers of Buddhism and Confucianism. A sizable minority 
of the population, more than 15 percent, does not belong to any of the 
major religions, but regard themselves as followers of traditional 
indigenous religions or claim no specific religious affiliation.
    The African Independent Churches make up the largest grouping of 
Christian Churches. There are 4,000 or more African Independent 
Churches, with a total membership of more than 10 million. Although 
these churches originally were founded as breakaways from various 
mission churches (the so-called Ethiopian churches), the African 
Independent Churches consist mostly of Zionist or apostolic churches 
and also include some Pentecostal offshoots. The Zion Christian Church 
is the largest African Independent Church. The African Independent 
Churches attract persons from rural and urban areas.
    The Nederduits Gereformeerde, or Dutch Reformed, family of churches 
consists of 3 related churches that represent almost 5 million persons. 
The Nederduits Gereformeerde Church is the largest of these 3 churches 
with a total of 1,263 congregations. Its member churches are the United 
Reformed Church of South Africa and the small Reformed Church in 
Africa, whose members are predominantly Indian. The Nederduitsch 
Hervormde and Gereformeerde Churches also are regarded as part of the 
Dutch Reformed Church family. In recent years, there has been a move 
away from the Dutch Reformed churches by Afrikaners to charismatic and 
Baptist churches.
    Other established Christian churches include the Roman Catholic 
Church, which has grown strongly in numbers and influence in recent 
years and consists of approximately 8.8 percent of the population; the 
Methodist Church (6.8 percent); the Church of the Province of South 
Africa (Anglican, 4.4 percent); various Lutheran (2.9 percent) and 
Presbyterian churches (1.7 percent); and the Congregational Church (1.5 
percent). Although they consist of less than 1 percent of the 
population, the Baptist churches represent a strong church tradition. 
The largest traditional Pentecostal churches are the Apostolic Faith 
Mission with a membership of 1.5 percent of the population, the 
Assemblies of God (0.6 percent), and the Full Gospel Church (1.8 
percent). A number of charismatic churches have been established in 
recent years. The subsidiary churches of the charismatic churches, 
together with those of the Hatfield Christian Church in Pretoria, are 
grouped in the International Fellowship of Christian Churches. The 
Greek Orthodox and Seventh-Day Adventist Churches also are active.
    More than 15 percent of the total population claim no affiliation 
with any formal religious organization. The majority of these persons 
adhere to traditional indigenous religions. A common feature of the 
traditional indigenous religions is the importance of ancestors. Also 
known as the ``living dead,'' ancestors are regarded as part of the 
community and as indispensable links with the spirit world and the 
powers that control everyday affairs. Ancestors are not gods, but 
because they play a key part in bringing about either good or ill 
fortune, maintaining good relations with them is vital. Followers of 
traditional indigenous religions also believe that certain 
practitioners can manipulate the power of the spirits by applying 
elaborate procedures that are passed down through word-of-mouth. Some 
practitioners use herbs and other therapeutic techniques, as well as 
supernatural powers; others are masters of black magic and engender 
fear. As a result of close contact with Christianity, many persons find 
themselves in a transitional phase somewhere between traditional 
indigenous religions and Christianity.
    Nearly two-thirds of Indians are Hindus, and the remainder is 
either Muslim (20 percent) or Christian (12 percent), with a small 
number of followers of various other religions. The Jewish population 
is probably not more than 100,000 persons, or 0.4 percent of the 
population. Of these, the majority is Orthodox Jews. There has been a 
slight shift towards the Muslim faith by blacks.
    Churches are well attended in both rural and urban areas, and most 
are adequately staffed by a large number of clerics and officials.
    A number of Christian organizations, including the Salvation Army, 
Promise Keepers, Operation Mobilization, Campus Crusade, and the Church 
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, operate in the country doing 
missionary work, giving aid, and providing training. The Muslim World 
League also is active in the country, as is the Zionist International 
Federation.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Constitution states that religious instruction at public 
schools is permitted so long as it is voluntary and religions are 
treated equally; however, the Department of Education still is using a 
syllabus that requires public schools to administer one period of 
religious instruction a week. The syllabus provides six options for 
religious instruction: Bible Education, Hindu Studies, Islamic Studies, 
Religious Education, Right Living, and Scripture. Many public schools 
have dropped religious instruction in practice. In schools that do 
administer religious instruction, students have the right not to attend 
the religious instruction, and school authorities respect this right in 
practice. A new syllabus has been drafted that, if implemented, would 
provide for voluntary, not mandatory, religious instruction in public 
schools. There are some private religious schools in which religious 
instruction is required.
    Members of the group People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (PAGAD) 
complained that they were the targets of police brutality. PAGAD is an 
Islamic-oriented community-based organization that engaged in acts of 
intimidation and violence against some suspected drug dealers, gang 
leaders, and critics of PAGAD's violent vigilantism, including anti-
PAGAD Muslim clerics, academics, and business leaders. PAGAD's earlier 
tactics of mass marches and drive-by shootings largely have been 
replaced by pipe-bomb attacks. There was no indication that police 
targeted PAGAD members for investigation because of their religious 
affiliation. Some religious communities believe that the Government is 
too lenient in regards to PAGAD.
    PAGAD has been influenced heavily by Qibla, a radical Islamicbased 
political group created in 1979 to promote the establishment of an 
Islamic state in South Africa. Qibla is organized into cells in the 
Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, and its membership is thought to number 
only a few hundred. Qibla leaders dominate the Islamic Unity Convention 
(IUC), an umbrella body formed in 1994 that claims to represent more 
than 200 small Muslim organizations.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities generally are 
amicable. However, there is a concern among Christians about the 
perceived growing influence of Islam. Reports of violence perpetrated 
by PAGAD have fueled these concerns.
    PAGAD portrays itself as a community organization opposed to crime, 
gangsterism, and drugs; however, it is known for its violent 
vigilantism (see Section I). PAGAD also claims to be a multifaith 
movement, even though the vast majority of its members are Muslim. 
PAGAD is most active in the Western Cape, but also has branches 
elsewhere in the country. Surveys indicated that some two-thirds of 
Muslims supported PAGAD soon after its inception in 1995, but that 
figure has dropped significantly since; the vast majority of Muslims no 
longer support PAGAD. While PAGAD continues to lose support when it is 
linked to violent acts, it gains sympathy any time high-profile 
incidents occur that are perceived by the Muslim community to have been 
acts of discrimination against Muslims.
    In January 1997, a mosque in Rustenberg was struck in a series of 
bombings that also struck a post office and general store and injured 
two persons. The State's case is closed and sentencing of the three 
persons convicted is scheduled for September 4, 2000. Two of the 
convicted have been released on approximately $11,500 (Rand 80,000) 
bail and one on $7,100 (Rand 50,000) pending sentencing.
    In December 1998, a synagogue in Wynberg was bombed. Four suspects 
have been arrested and their trial was still pending as of June 30, 
2000.
    There were occasional reports of killings linked to the continued 
practice of witchcraft in some rural areas. In the Northern Province, 
where traditional beliefs regarding witchcraft remain strong, officials 
reported dozens of killings of persons suspected of witchcraft. The 
Government has instituted educational programs to prevent such actions.
    There are many official and unofficial bilateral and multilateral 
ecumenical contacts between the various churches. The largest of these 
is the South African Council of Churches (SACC), which represents the 
Methodist Church, the Church of the Province of South Africa 
(Anglican), various Lutheran and Presbyterian churches, and the 
Congregational Church, among others. The major traditional indigenous 
religions, most of the Afrikaans-language churches, and the Pentecostal 
and charismatic churches are not members of the SACC and usually have 
their own coordinating and liaison bodies. The Roman Catholic Church's 
relationship with other churches is becoming more relaxed and it works 
closely with other churches on the socio-political front.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Representatives of the U.S. Embassy have frequent contact with leaders 
and members of all religious communities in the country.
                               __________

                                 SUDAN

    The Constitution, implemented in early 1999, provides for freedom 
of religion; however, the Government severely restricts freedom of 
religion in practice. The Government treats Islam as the state religion 
and has declared that it must inspire the country's laws, institutions, 
and policies.
    The status of respect for religious freedom has not changed 
fundamentally in recent years, and, particularly in the south, the 
Government continues to enforce numerous restrictions. Authorities 
continued to restrict the activities of Christians, followers of 
traditional indigenous religions, and other non-Muslims. Non-Muslims 
are forbidden to proselytize. There also continued to be reports that 
security forces regularly harassed and at times used threats and 
violence against persons based on their religious beliefs and 
activities. As part of the civil war, the Government and government-
supported forces were responsible for indiscriminate bombings, the 
burning and looting of villages, and the killings, abductions, rapes, 
and arbitrary arrests and detentions of civilians, most of whom were 
Christians or practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. 
However, there were some areas in which the Government took steps that 
improved the situation somewhat. For example, religious prisoners and 
detainees were released, enforcement of public order laws was relaxed, 
women imprisoned under the public order law were released, and 
restrictions on religious visitors and gatherings were eased. 
Traditionally there have been amicable relations between the various 
religious communities, and the practice of religions other then Islam 
remains legal. Non-Muslims legally are free to adhere to and practice 
their faiths; however, in practice the Government's treatment of Islam 
as the state religion creates an atmosphere in which non-Muslims are 
treated as second-class citizens.
    The U.S. Government's efforts in Sudan have been limited by the 
nonresident status of U.S. diplomats prior to August 1998 and by the 
evacuation of the Embassy's American staff in August 1998. Nonresident 
American diplomats resumed visits to Khartoum in late February 2000. 
The U.S. Government has made it clear to the Government of Sudan that 
the issue of religious freedom is one of the key problems impeding a 
positive relationship between Sudan and the U.S. The issue of religious 
freedom has been raised consistently with both the Government and the 
populace by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Special Envoy for 
Sudan Harry Johnston, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs 
Susan Rice, the U.S. mission to Sudan (resident in Nairobi), and U.S. 
Missions to international forums. In September 1999, the Secretary of 
State designated Sudan a country of particular concern under the 
International Religious Freedom Act for particularly severe violations 
of religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution, implemented in early 1999, provides for freedom 
of religion; however, the Government severely restricts freedom of 
religion in practice. The Government treats Islam as the state religion 
and has declared that it must inspire the country's laws, institutions, 
and policies. The Constitution states that ``Shari'a and custom are the 
sources of legislation.''
    Religious organizations are subject to the 1994 Societies 
Registration Act. It theoretically allows churches to engage in a wide 
range of activities, but subjects churches to the same restrictions 
placed on nonreligious corporations. Religious groups, like all other 
organizations, must be registered in order to be recognized or to 
gather legally. The Government also requires that houses of worship be 
approved. Registered religious groups are exempt from most taxes. 
Nonregistered religious groups, on the other hand, find it impossible 
to construct a place of worship or to assemble legally. Registration 
reportedly is very difficult to obtain in practice, and the Government 
does not treat all groups equally in the approval of such registrations 
and licenses. The Government reportedly is working on new legislation 
to replace the Societies Registration Act, but has not yet invited the 
participation of religious groups.
    In recent years, the Roman Catholic Church has not been given 
permission to build new churches, although some other Christian groups 
have received permission. Islamic orders associated with opposition 
political parties, particularly the Khatimia, regularly are denied 
permission to hold large public gatherings. No permits have been 
granted for church construction in Khartoum state in recent years, 
despite the influx of non-Muslims to the capital.
Religious Demography
    Sudan is a religiously mixed country, although Muslims have 
dominated national government institutions since independence. There 
are no accurate figures on the sizes of the country's religious 
populations. A large majority of the population of approximately 30 
million persons is Muslim: more than 75 percent of the population are 
Muslim and adherents include numerous Arabic and non-Arabic groups. 
Muslims predominate in the north. There are sizable minorities of 
Christians and practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. Most 
citizens in the south adhere to either Christianity or traditional 
indigenous religions. There are reliable reports that Christianity is 
growing rapidly in the south, particularly in areas outside of 
government control. There is also evidence that many new converts to 
Christianity continue to adhere to elements of traditional indigenous 
practices. The influx of 1 to 2 million southerners displaced by the 
war has brought sizable communities of practitioners of traditional 
indigenous religions and Christians to the north. There are also small 
but influential and long-established populations of Greek Orthodox and 
Coptic Rite Christians centered around Khartoum. About 500,000 Coptic 
Christians live in the north. There are a few atheists and agnostics in 
the country, but exact figures are not available.
    The Muslim population is almost entirely Sunni but is divided into 
many different groups. The most significant divisions occur along the 
lines of the Sufi brotherhood. Two brotherhoods, the Ansar and the 
Khatimia, are associated closely with the Umma Party and the Democratic 
Unionist Party (DUP), respectively.
    Northern Muslims form a majority of the population, and government 
institutions are dominated by northern Muslims of Arabic origin. The 
southern ethnic groups fighting the civil war (largely followers of 
traditional indigenous religions or Christians and largely of African 
origin) seek independence, or some form of regional self-determination, 
from the north.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Authorities continued to restrict the activities of Christians, 
followers of traditional indigenous beliefs, and other non-Muslims, as 
well as certain Islamic groups.
    Muslims may proselytize freely in government-controlled areas, but 
non-Muslims are forbidden to proselytize. Missionaries continue to do 
other work, and a wide range of Christian missionary groups operated in 
both government and rebel-controlled areas of the country. However, 
authorities often harassed foreign missionaries and other religiously 
oriented organizations and delayed their requests for work permits and 
residence visas. A foreign priest was deported in August 1999. The 
priest reportedly was summoned by the Immigration Department on July 
15, 1999, and told to leave the country within 2 weeks. No reason was 
given for his expulsion. The Government is generally least restrictive 
of Christian groups that historically have had a presence in the 
country, including Copts, Roman Catholics, and Greek Orthodox, and is 
more restrictive of newer arrivals.
    Although the Government considers itself an Islamic government, 
restrictions often are placed on the religious freedoms of Muslims, 
particularly on those orders linked to opposition to the Government. 
Islamic orders such as the Khatimia regularly are denied permission to 
hold large public gatherings. In November 1999, a religious leader was 
arrested and detained, along with some followers, allegedly for 
accusing the Government of being insufficiently Islamic. Authorities 
released all of those detained within 1 week.
    While the government permits non-Muslims to participate in services 
in existing, authorized places of worship, the Government continued to 
deny permission for the construction of Roman Catholic churches, 
although some other Christian groups have received permission. However, 
the Government permitted some makeshift structures to be used for Roman 
Catholic services.
    There is a longstanding dispute between the Episcopal Church and 
the Government. In September 1999, the Episcopal Church stated that the 
Government had moved to seize a portion of the property on which the 
church office in Omdurman stands. A government-run health care center 
had operated on the site since 1973. The Church claims that it has a 
freehold title to the land, while the Government claims that it is a 
leased. The Church claims that the courts would not act independently 
of the Government in the case. The Church sent a memo to the Office of 
the President concerning the issue, but the President's Office replied 
that the case was a state rather than a federal issue. At a June 19, 
2000 court session, a decision on the matter was postponed until August 
2000.
    In 1996 an Episcopal church was built in the Fetehab neighborhood 
of Omdurman. In 1998 local residents filed a case against the church 
for disturbances, and authorities closed the church as a result. The 
case was forwarded to the Attorney General, but no decision was issued 
on this matter as of mid-2000. Reportedly the Episcopal church tried to 
resolve the conflict by applying to state authorities for approval to 
build another church in a different location; however, the state 
authorities did not grant approval.
    The Khartoum state government continued to raze thousands of 
squatter dwellings around Khartoum, which largely are populated by 
displaced southerners, including large numbers of practitioners of 
traditional indigenous religions and Christians. Earlier improvements 
in procedures to grant squatters legal title to land in other areas and 
to move squatters in advance of demolitions continued. In October 1999, 
the First Vice President directed that demolition of churches and other 
Christian facilities in Khartoum be suspended and that a committee be 
formed under the Second Vice President to review the issue. Some church 
officials indicated that the number of church and school demolitions in 
squatter areas has declined, apparently because the replanning of 
squatter areas is largely complete.
    The Government requires instruction in Islam for Muslim students in 
public schools in the north. In public schools in areas in which 
Muslims are not a majority, students have a choice of studying Islam or 
Christianity; however, Christian courses are not offered in the 
majority of public schools, ostensibly due to a lack of teachers or 
Christian students and, in practice, this means that many Christian 
students attend Islamic courses.
    In government-controlled areas of the south, there continued to be 
credible evidence of prejudice in favor of Muslims and an unwritten 
policy of Islamization of public institutions, despite an official 
policy of local autonomy and federalism. In the past, some non-Muslims 
lost their jobs in the civil service, the judiciary, and other 
professions. Few non-Muslim university graduates found government jobs. 
Some non-Muslim businessmen complained of petty harassment and 
discrimination in the awarding of government contracts and trade 
licenses. There also were reports that Muslims received preferential 
treatment for the limited services provided by the Government, 
including access to medical care.
    In accordance with Islamic law, a Muslim woman has the right to 
hold and dispose of her own property without interference, and women 
are ensured inheritance from their parents. However, a daughter 
inherits half the share of a son, and a widow inherits a smaller 
percentage than do her children. It is much easier for men to initiate 
legal divorce proceedings than for women. Islamic family law applies to 
Muslims and not to those of other faiths, for whom religious or tribal 
laws apply. A Muslim man may marry a non-Muslim; however, a Muslim 
woman cannot marry a non-Muslim unless he converts to Islam. However, 
this prohibition is not observed or enforced in areas of the south not 
controlled by the Government, nor among Nubans.
    Children who have been abandoned or whose parentage is unknown--
regardless of presumed religious origin--are considered by the state to 
be both citizens and Muslims and can be adopted only by Muslims. Non-
Muslims may adopt only other non-Muslim children. No equivalent 
restriction is placed on the adoption by Muslims of orphans or other 
children. In accordance with Islamic law, children adopted by Muslims 
do not take the name of their adopted parents and are not automatic 
heirs to their property.
    Various government bodies have decreed on different occasions that 
women must dress according to modest Islamic standards, including 
wearing a head covering. In January 1999, the governor of Khartoum 
state announced that women in public places and government offices, and 
female students and teachers would be required to conform to what is 
deemed an Islamic dress code. However, none of these decrees have been 
the subject of legislation. Enforcement of the dress code regulations 
was reduced greatly during the period covered by this report. Women 
often were seen in public wearing trousers or with their heads 
uncovered. Public Order Police generally only gave warnings for 
improper dress.
    In rebel-controlled areas, Christians, Muslims, and followers of 
traditional indigenous beliefs generally worship freely, although it 
appears that many of the region's Muslim residents have departed 
voluntarily over the years. The rebel SPLM officially favors secular 
government; however, the movement is dominated by Christians, and local 
SPLM authorities often have a very close relationship with local 
Christian religious authorities. There is no evidence that this close 
relationship has resulted in a failure to respect the rights of 
practitioners of other religions.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    There continued to be reports that security forces regularly 
harassed and at times used threats and violence against persons on the 
basis of their religious beliefs and activities.
    Catholic priests report that they routinely are stopped and 
interrogated by police. Security forces also detained persons 
apparently in relation to their religious beliefs and activities. 
Generally, detentions based nominally on religion were of limited 
duration; because the practice of religion is not technically illegal, 
detainees could not be held formally on those grounds indefinitely. 
However, in the past the Government often resorted to accusing, at 
times falsely, those arrested for religious reasons of other crimes, 
including common crimes and national security crimes, which resulted in 
prolonged detentions.
    On August 8, 1999, a group of members of the Ansar al Sunna Muslim 
group reportedly threw stones at a Christian center in the Doroshab 
neighborhood of Khartoum North. When a member of the center's staff 
went to the local police, the police refused to take action, instead 
briefly detaining the staff member. He subsequently was released.
    There were reports that police in Hilla Kuku harassed members of 
the Catholic Church. A Catholic seminarian stated that police stopped 
him at the bus station in Hilla Kuku on June 22, 2000 and told him to 
remove a wooden cross that he was wearing. After he refused, the police 
took him to a police station where they detained him and beat him on 
his neck and right wrist with a stick. After 3 hours, the police 
returned his cross and released him. On July 7, 2000, a foreign 
Catholic Church worker was stopped at the bus station in Hilla Kuku and 
forced into a car by unidentified men who were reportedly plainclothes 
security personnel. According to the worker, he initially was 
questioned in the car; however, after he called for help on his mobile 
telephone, he was blindfolded and taken to an unidentified house. In 
the house, he was kept in a chair with his hands tied behind his back 
and questioned about church activities. He was treated abusively and 
believes that he may have been drugged. His captors released him after 
dark, but warned him not to discuss what had happened.
    The Government officially exempts the 10 southern states, whose 
population is mostly non-Muslim, from parts of the Criminal Act. The 
Act permits physical punishments, including lashings, amputations and 
stonings, based on Shari'a (Islamic law). In late 1999 and early 2000 
in the north, the Government reportedly carried out amputations under 
Islamic law for the first time. Reports indicate that the Government 
carried out three amputations during the period covered by this report 
as punishment for violent crimes that resulted in death. All those 
sentenced to amputations reportedly were Muslims. No reports cited 
court-ordered Islamic law punishments, other than lashings, in 
government-controlled areas of the south. The act could be applied in 
the south, if the state assemblies so decide. Fear of the imposition of 
Islamic law fueled support for the civil war.
    During the period covered by the report, 73 Christian secondary-
school students in Khartoum reportedly were not allowed to continue 
their compulsory military service because they left their duties to 
attend church. The students, who had been training at a police unit in 
Jebel Awlia province in Khartoum state, said that they received 
physical abuse and insults from the police during the exercise. They 
claimed to be among 231 Christians out of 1,200 students at the camp. 
The national service coordination office in Khartoum state reportedly 
denied that there was a problem at the training camps.
    Government authorities, using soldiers for security, have razed 
approximately 30 religious buildings with bulldozers since 1990.
    While non-Muslims may convert to Islam, the 1991 Criminal Act makes 
apostasy (which includes conversion to another religion) by Muslims 
punishable by death. In mid-1998, the government began prosecution of 
an apostasy case against Faki Koko, a Nuban, who was accused of 
converting from Islam. Faki Koko reportedly was released during 1999 
and allowed to leave the country for health reasons without charge or 
trial, although his current status and location remain unclear.
    Popular Defense Forces trainees, including non-Muslims, are 
indoctrinated in the Islamic faith. In prisons government-supported 
Islamic nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) pressure and offer 
inducements to non-Muslim inmates to convert. Some NGO's reported that 
persons in the government-controlled peace camps were subject to forced 
labor and at times were pressured to convert to Islam. Children, 
including non-Muslim children, in government-controlled camps for 
vagrant minors are required to study the Koran, and there is pressure 
on non-Muslim children to convert to Islam.
    The Government charged Reverend Hillary Boma and Reverend Lino 
Sebit, along with 18 other persons, with involvement in the June 1998 
Khartoum bombings, but released them in December 1999. The charges were 
viewed widely as unsubstantiated and possibly designed to intimidate 
Christians and the political opposition.
    Since the civil war resumed in 1983, an estimated 2 million persons 
have been killed and 4 million displaced internally as a result of 
fighting between the Government and insurgents in the south. The civil 
war continued during the reporting period despite limited cease-fires, 
and all sides involved in the fighting were responsible for abuses in 
violation of humanitarian norms. Government and government-supported 
forces in particular are responsible for the killings, abductions, 
rapes, and arbitrary arrests and detentions of civilians, and for the 
burning and looting of villages. There is a religious aspect to the 
civil war: the Government is dominated by northern Muslims, while the 
southern ethnic groups fighting the civil war are largely followers of 
traditional indigenous religions or Christians.
    As part of the civil war, the Government has engaged in a program 
of high altitude, indiscriminate bombing of southern areas, 
particularly in the states of Equatoria, Western Upper Nile, and the 
Nuba Mountains. The bombings hit schools, medical facilities, and 
civilian buildings in these areas inhabited primarily by persons 
practicing traditional African religions and by Christians. For 
example, Catholic Bishop Macram Max Gassis reported that on February 8, 
2000, Government forces bombed a Catholic school in his diocese in the 
Nuba Mountains killing at least 14 children and 1 teacher, and wounding 
14 other persons. Government officials described the incident as a 
legitimate bombing. In April 2000, the Government, responding to 
international pressure, announced a halt to aerial bombardments 
``except in self defense and in active operations areas.''
    The taking of slaves, particularly in war zones, and their 
transport to parts of central and northern Sudan, continued, and was 
due, in part, to the victims' religious beliefs. There were frequent 
and credible reports that Baggara raiders, armed and reportedly 
supported by the Government, attacked a number of villages in the Bahr 
al Ghazal region, taking a number of persons, almost exclusively women 
and children, as slaves. For example, there was a report in July 1999 
that the army attacked the towns in Ruweng county, burning several 
churches, abducting hundreds of persons, and killing dozens of 
civilians. The victims in the villages were largely Christians or 
practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. Some children from 
Christian and other non-Muslim families, captured and sold into 
slavery, were converted forcibly to Islam. Militia and Baggara raids 
were reduced significantly during the period covered by this report, 
due largely to a reconciliation between the Dinka and Nuer tribes in 
March 1999.
    In June 2000, a group of 12 armed police entered the priests' 
residence of the Catholic Comboni College secondary school with a 
warrant to search for illegal immigrants and foreign currency. The 
rooms of two priests and a medicine storeroom were searched. The police 
did not arrest anyone, and spoke with one priest. Police took a camera, 
a file of newspaper cuttings, five boxes of slides, a corrector tape, 
three floppy disks, and a bottle of whiskey. The items were accounted 
for at the time and returned 2 days later. A mobile telephone and cash 
are believed to have disappeared, but were not listed among the items 
taken by police during the search. No charges were filed in the case. 
The Catholic Comboni College has a religiously and ethnically mixed 
student body and generally operates without interference or harassment.
    In July 1999, the principal of an Episcopal Church school in Haj 
Yusuf requested assistance from the commissioner of Khartoum North to 
build a new classroom. After construction, the commissioner asserted 
that the school belonged to the Government. The Church refused to hand 
over the school, and the commissioner filed suit against the church. 
Both the court and the state governor have directed the commissioner to 
cede control of the school to the Church, but reportedly the 
commissioner has been reluctant to obey. In December 1999, police 
injured five persons in a clash in northwest Khartoum over this issue. 
The school remained closed as of June 30, 2000.
Improvements in Religious Freedom
    There were some areas of improvement in the Government's respect 
for religious freedom. During the period covered by this report, the 
Public Order Police (controlled by Khartoum state) were less extreme in 
their application of the Public Order Law. Women were seen more 
commonly without head coverings and wearing trousers. When stopped by 
the Public Order Police, they commonly were warned rather than 
detained. In May 2000, President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir ordered that all 
women in prison for violations of the Public Order Law be released. Of 
the 563 women released, most were non-Muslims convicted of illegally 
making and selling alcohol; however, some women reportedly were 
subsequently arrested for illegally making and selling alcohol. Public 
Order Courts and their special judges were abolished. The Minister of 
Justice indicated in June 2000 that the Ministry was writing a new 
national public order law; however, no changes were implemented by June 
30, 2000. During the period covered by this report, prisoners held on 
religious or seemingly religiously related grounds were released. Faki 
Koko, allegedly held for apostasy, reportedly was released during 1999 
and allowed to leave the country for health reasons without charge or 
trial. Reverend Hillary Boma and Reverend Lino Sebit, along with 18 
other persons charged with involvement in the June 1998 Khartoum 
bombings, were released in December 1999 by presidential decree.
    On at least some occasions, restrictions on religious visitors and 
gatherings were relaxed. During the period covered by this report, the 
Archbishop of Canterbury visited the country. German evangelist 
Reinhard Bonnke also visited the country and held open-air services in 
Khartoum attended by tens of thousands. Catholic Church representatives 
stated that jubilee festivities attended by thousands of persons 
routinely took place during the period covered by this report in 
government-held areas without interference or harassment.
    In May 1998, the Government formed the Committee for the 
Eradication of the Abduction of Women and Children, which has 
identified over 700 abductees, and returned many of them to their 
families. The taking of slaves is due, in part, to the victims' 
religious beliefs: abductees are largely Christians or practitioners of 
traditional indigenous religions.
    The Government sometimes works with the Islamic Council of Ulama, 
the Sudan Council of Churches, and the Religious Dialogue to encourage 
inter-faith dialog, but has not formed a specific mechanism for dialog 
in recent years. The Government maintains regular contact with many of 
the country's religious leaders.
    Government and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) 
delegations participated in IGAD-mediated peace talks in Nairobi, 
Kenya, in July 1999, and in January, February, and April 2000. The 
delegations continued discussions of the role of religion in national 
affairs and the predominantly non-Muslim southern region's right to 
self-determination.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of forced religious conversion of minor U.S. 
citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United 
States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be 
returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Traditionally there have been amicable relations between the 
various religious communities, although there were a small number of 
clashes. For example, on August 8, 1999, a group of members of the 
Ansar al Sunna Muslim group reportedly threw stones at a Christian 
center in the Doroshab neighborhood of Khartoum North (see Section I).
    Non-Muslims legally are free to adhere to and practice their 
faiths; however, in practice, the Government's treatment of Islam as 
the state religion creates an atmosphere in which non-Muslims are 
treated as second class citizens.
    There are reliable reports that Islamic NGO's in war zones withhold 
other services from the needy unless they convert to Islam. There also 
were reports that Christian NGO's used their services to pressure 
persons to convert to Christianity.
    Leaders of religious communities meet informally to discuss 
community relations.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government's efforts in Sudan have been limited by the 
nonresident status of U.S. diplomats prior to August 1998 and by their 
evacuation that month. Nonresident American diplomats resumed visits to 
Khartoum in late February 2000. Nonetheless, the U.S. Government and 
the U.S. Embassy accredited to the Government of Sudan, whose American 
staff is based in Nairobi and Cairo, have made concerted efforts to 
encourage respect for religious freedom. The U.S. Government has made 
it clear to the Government of Sudan that the issue of religious freedom 
is one of the key problems impeding a positive relationship between 
Sudan and the United States. The Embassy consistently raised the issue 
at all levels of government, including with the Foreign Minister. While 
present in Khartoum, representatives of the Embassy regularly meet with 
leaders of the religious communities in the country.
    During an October 1999 visit to Nairobi, Secretary of State 
Albright met with a group of Christian and Muslim representatives of 
civil society from northern and southern Sudan, including Catholic 
Bishop Erkalan Lodu Tombe of Yei, and discussed the difficulties 
encountered by both Christians and Muslims.
    Special Envoy Johnston visited the country in March and June 2000. 
During his two visits, he consistently and strongly raised the issue of 
religious freedoms at all levels of government, including with the 
First Vice President. He particularly emphasized the need for national 
law to reflect the country's diversity and the practical need for non-
Muslims to be able to build houses of worship freely. Johnston credited 
the Government with progress in identifying and returning abductees 
through the Committee for the Eradication of the Abduction of Women and 
Children, which has identified over 700 individuals. Johnston also met 
with prominent Christian and Muslim leaders.
    The U.S. Embassy and the Department of State worked to forcefully 
raised religious freedom issues publicly in press statements and at 
international forums, including the U.N. Human Rights Commission.
    In September 1999, the Secretary of State designated Sudan a 
country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom 
Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
                               __________

                               SWAZILAND

    There are no formal constitutional provisions for freedom of 
religion; however, the Government respects freedom of religion in 
practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    There are no formal constitutional provisions for freedom of 
religion; however, the Government respects freedom of religion in 
practice. The Government at all levels generally protects this right in 
full, and does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or 
private actors.
    Followers of all religious faiths are free to worship without 
government interference or restriction. The ongoing constitutional 
review process is expected to address the issue of freedom of religion.
    New religious groups or churches are expected to register with the 
Government upon organizing in the country. To be considered organized a 
religious group or church must demonstrate either possession of 
substantial cash reserves or financial support from outside religious 
groups with established ties to Western or Eastern religions. For 
indigenous religious groups or churches, authorities consider 
demonstration of a proper building, a pastor or religious leader, and a 
congregation as sufficient to grant organized status. However, there is 
no law describing the organizational requirements of a religious group 
or church. While organized churches are exempt from paying taxes, they 
are not considered tax-deductible charities. All religions are 
unofficially recognized.
Religious Demography
    Christianity is the dominant religion, with the Anglican and 
Methodist Churches strongly represented. A large Roman Catholic 
presence, including churches, schools, and other infrastructure, still 
flourishes. Zionism (a local term for this religion) is a blend of 
Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship and is the prominent 
religion in rural areas. Followers of Islam and the Baha'i Faith 
generally are located in urban areas. It is estimated that the 
population is 40 percent Zionist, 20 percent Roman Catholic, and 10 
percent Islamic, with the remaining 30 percent divided between 
Anglican, Methodist, Baha'i, Mormon, Jewish, and other beliefs.
    Missionaries inspired much of the country's early development and 
still play a role in rural development. Missionaries are mostly Western 
Christians, including Baptists, Mormons, evangelicals, and other 
Christians. Baha'is are the most active non-Christian missionaries.
    While the Government primarily observes Christian holidays, the 
monarchy (and by extension the Government) supports many religious 
activities in addition to Easter and Christmas. For example, the royal 
family often attends public evangelical programs.
    Portions of the capital city are zoned specifically for church 
buildings of all denominations. Those religious groups that wish to 
construct new buildings may purchase a plot and apply for the required 
building permits. Any religion with the financial means may build a 
place of worship.
    The Government neither restricts nor formally promotes inter-faith 
dialog, and it does not provide formal mechanisms for religions to 
reconcile differences. Churches have access to the courts as private 
entities.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Religious diversity is respected. Five different denominations 
maintain adjoining properties peac