China, Pakistan in US list of ‘particular concern’

THE US has designated 12 countries, including China, Pakistan and Myanmar, as ‘countries of particular concern' for the current status of religious freedom in these nations.

Announcing this on Friday (2), Secretary of State Antony Blinken said around the world, governments and non-state actors harass, threaten, jail, and even kill individuals on account of their beliefs.

‘Today, I am announcing designations against Burma (Myanmar), the People's Republic of China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, the DPRK, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom' he said.

Simultaneously, Blinken also placed Algeria, the Central African Republic, Comoros and Vietnam on the Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.

The US also designated several organizations including al-Shabab, and Boko Haram as ‘Entities of Particular Concern'.

Blinken said the US will continue to carefully monitor the status of freedom of religion or belief in every country around the world.

‘We will also regularly engage countries about our concerns regarding limitations on freedom of religion or belief, regardless of whether those countries have been designated,' he said.

Meanwhile, ahead of the announcement of such an annual designation by the State Department, there were massive lobbying efforts by groups like Indian American Muslim Council and pressures from organisations like the US Commission for International Religious Freedom to designate India as a Country of Concern.