She has also agreed to create a new senior-level position within the State Department to coordinate our efforts. Mr. Chairman, the scope of our concerns are truly global, for religious intolerance is not a product of a single region, culture, religion or ethnic group. Long years of civil war cannot excuse forced conversions or the enslavement of Christians and animists. Rather, the prevalence of these appalling phenomena should compel us all to seek a speedy, just and durable settlement to the 15-year conflict. Nor can we look aside in the face of Iran's persecution of Baha'is or Evangelical Christians or Burma's persecution of its Buddhist majority and Christian and Rohingya Muslim minorities.
Tight controls remain on religion and fundamental freedoms in Tibet and Xinjiang.
We find it particularly hard to accept the continued detention of the boy designated by the Dalai Lama as the Panchen Lama, a child of less than ten. In some cases Chinese authorities have used detention, arrest, and reform through education sentences to enforce their control. The United States is also concerned over Russia's new religion law, which could result in severe restrictions on minority religions, particularly Evangelical Protestants, and even some offshoots of Orthodox and other religions. Islam is one of the world's great religions, Mr. Chairman, and one of the fastest-growing faiths in our own country. We share with our Muslim citizens concern over the growing intolerance expressed by certain elements of European society.