India denies visa to US religious freedom watchdogs

[msadiqali]

The Manmohan Singh government has scuppered a proposed visit to India this week by the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a US Congress-mandated organization that monitors religious rights worldwide and gives independent policy recommendations to the US President and his administration.

A USCIRF team that was to leave for New Dehi on June 12 was not given visas
in time, according to an associate at the commission, who said it was done with the obvious intent of blocking the trip. "They knew we
had tickets for June 12 and the visas are yet to be given, so the inference is obvious...they don’t want us to visit," the associate told ToI.

The Indian Embassy in Washington, the issuing authority for the visa, referred all questions to New Delhi, while acknowledging that the USCIRF team had applied for visas and the applications had been forwarded to
New Delhi as is the standard practice for all such visits.

Sources in the government, without acknowledging that the visas were deliberately withheld, said it was not a proper time for such a visit. "We really don’t care about what they report," an official who spoke on background said. "But a high profile visit seen as having government sanctions would have raised hackles in India." The USCIRF has in its reports criticized violence against religious minorities in India.

The official said the visa denial was not linked to the criticism of the proposed visit by the Hindu pontiff, Shankaracharya Jayendra Sarawati, who earlier this week described the USCIRF as an "intrusive mechanism of a foreign government
which is interfering with the internal affairs of India," and said the team must not be allowed to enter the country.

The Obama administration too did not press for the visit, given that US Undersecretary of State William Burns was in New Delhi around the time of the proposed USCIRF visit, preparing ground for the visit to India by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sometime in July. Most "commissioners" and staff of the USCIRF are appointees of the previous Bush administration.

Although the United States acknowledges India’s rich religious and ethnic diversity and plurality, the USCIRF has in its annual reports criticized specific episodes involving violence against religious minority, like the ones in Gujarat and in Orissa.

"We understand India’s sensitivities about being criticized for religious discrimination given its democratic and secular credentials," a commission associate said Wednesday. "But we are concerned that some of the
judicial processes with regards to the incidents in Gujarat and Orissa are not functioning properly and we only wanted to get them going."

Indian hardliners, especially those on the extreme right, chafe at the idea that any US body would want to scrutinize the country’s religious freedom, given its secular credentials, when it dares not interfere in fundamentalist countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, where minority rights are non-existent. Senior RSS functionaries had specifically inquired repeatedly about the proposed USCIRF visit.

Describing the proposed USCIRF visit to India as "incomprehensible," the US branch of the Vishwa Hindu Parishat said as the "largest functioning democracy in the world with an independent judiciary, a statutorily constituted Human rights Commission, an independent press and other supporting organizations would appear to be quite capable of taking care of the religious freedoms and human rights of its citizens."

"India not only offers freedom of religion under its constitution, but does not discriminate based on religion. Similar freedoms are not available in its neighboring countries," the VHP said on a statement.

But the Indian Left and the "secular" brigade in the US, including organizations representing minorities, argue that allowing such foreign bodies to visit India and examine its record and performance enhances the country's reputation as an open, democratic nation that has nothing to hide or fear.

[DSLStart]

Like Michelle Obama I would like to say, For the first time in my life I'm proud of Manmohan Singh government....

Originally Posted by msadiqali

The Manmohan Singh government has scuppered a proposed visit to India this week by the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a US Congress-mandated organization that monitors religious rights worldwide and gives independent policy recommendations to the US President and his administration.

A USCIRF team that was to leave for New Dehi on June 12 was not given visas
in time, according to an associate at the commission, who said it was done with the obvious intent of blocking the trip. "They knew we
had tickets for June 12 and the visas are yet to be given, so the inference is obvious...they don’t want us to visit," the associate told ToI.

The Indian Embassy in Washington, the issuing authority for the visa, referred all questions to New Delhi, while acknowledging that the USCIRF team had applied for visas and the applications had been forwarded to
New Delhi as is the standard practice for all such visits.

Sources in the government, without acknowledging that the visas were deliberately withheld, said it was not a proper time for such a visit. "We really don’t care about what they report," an official who spoke on background said. "But a high profile visit seen as having government sanctions would have raised hackles in India." The USCIRF has in its reports criticized violence against religious minorities in India.

The official said the visa denial was not linked to the criticism of the proposed visit by the Hindu pontiff, Shankaracharya Jayendra Sarawati, who earlier this week described the USCIRF as an "intrusive mechanism of a foreign government
which is interfering with the internal affairs of India," and said the team must not be allowed to enter the country.

The Obama administration too did not press for the visit, given that US Undersecretary of State William Burns was in New Delhi around the time of the proposed USCIRF visit, preparing ground for the visit to India by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sometime in July. Most "commissioners" and staff of the USCIRF are appointees of the previous Bush administration.

Although the United States acknowledges India’s rich religious and ethnic diversity and plurality, the USCIRF has in its annual reports criticized specific episodes involving violence against religious minority, like the ones in Gujarat and in Orissa.

"We understand India’s sensitivities about being criticized for religious discrimination given its democratic and secular credentials," a commission associate said Wednesday. "But we are concerned that some of the
judicial processes with regards to the incidents in Gujarat and Orissa are not functioning properly and we only wanted to get them going."

Indian hardliners, especially those on the extreme right, chafe at the idea that any US body would want to scrutinize the country’s religious freedom, given its secular credentials, when it dares not interfere in fundamentalist countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, where minority rights are non-existent. Senior RSS functionaries had specifically inquired repeatedly about the proposed USCIRF visit.

Describing the proposed USCIRF visit to India as "incomprehensible," the US branch of the Vishwa Hindu Parishat said as the "largest functioning democracy in the world with an independent judiciary, a statutorily constituted Human rights Commission, an independent press and other supporting organizations would appear to be quite capable of taking care of the religious freedoms and human rights of its citizens."

"India not only offers freedom of religion under its constitution, but does not discriminate based on religion. Similar freedoms are not available in its neighboring countries," the VHP said on a statement.

But the Indian Left and the "secular" brigade in the US, including organizations representing minorities, argue that allowing such foreign bodies to visit India and examine its record and performance enhances the country's reputation as an open, democratic nation that has nothing to hide or fear.

[Legal]

Who are they to review and certify India? Irrespective of your political spectrum say cheers to the Govt of India.

[unseenguy]

Originally Posted by Legal

Who are they to review and certify India? Irrespective of your political spectrum say cheers to the Govt of India.

Rub it in baby! yeah! Felt so good as a response to 221(g) issued by american consulates.

[shx]

I have pasted below some FAQS from the comission's website at http://www.uscirf.gov


1. What is the U. S. Commission on International Religious Freedom?

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and the Congress

8. Does the United States have the right to tell other countries what to do about freedom of religion? Is this an attempt to force American values on others or to interfere in their internal affairs?

If the United States and another country sign an arms-control agreement, or an environmental agreement, or a trade agreement, all parties to the agreement have the right to ensure that the other parties are fulfilling their commitments. The same is equally true for human rights agreements, including those referring to freedom of religion. The United States is not trying to force other countries to adopt American values; it is encouraging them to live up to the commitments to protect religious freedom that they have made in international agreements such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Likewise, other signatories to those agreements have the same right. The "internal affairs" argument used by authoritarian and totalitarian regimes dissolves when those governments undertake international commitments.

10. What authority does the Commission have to advise other countries about religious freedom?

The Commission is authorized to monitor violations of religious freedom abroad and to make policy recommendations to the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, and to the Congress with respect to matters involving international religious freedom. In gathering information to formulate those recommendations, the Commissioners or staff may meet with foreign officials and diplomats. Such meetings are always coordinated with the State Department.

11. What are the "countries of particular concern?"

The Secretary of State designates the countries of the particular concern. The countries currently designated as CPCs are:

Burma
China
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK/North Korea)
Eritrea
Iran
Pakistan
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Vietnam

14. Does the USCIRF want information about violations of religious freedom abroad?

The Commission welcomes any verifiable information from credible sources about religious persecution in other countries.



If you or any of your loved ones have been persecuted for following your religion, you can report them to this commission. I'm not aware of any such monitoring agencies in India. So this might be a good place for you guys to have your voice heard.

Should I still cheer Mr. Singh? I'll pass.

[unseenguy]

chup kar kar saale shx. Woh log apun ko paisa lene ke baad, 221(g) dete hai, saale PIMS dete hai, they give you all the crap while visa stamping , so this kind of retaliation is good.

Also what is written on all this is crap. They send spies usually on such missions.

[shx]

Originally Posted by unseenguy

chup kar kar saale shx. Woh log apun ko paisa lene ke baad, 221(g) dete hai, saale PIMS dete hai, they give you all the crap while visa stamping , so this kind of retaliation is good.

Also what is written on all this is crap. They send spies usually on such missions.

ok sir! Are you from Bihar?

[unseenguy]

Originally Posted by shx

ok sir! Are you from bihar?

maharashtra

[akred]

It would be good if they explicitly explained the logic behind the move so the USCIRF can't complain about discrimination. I think Manmohan Singh and Congress are burnishing their secular credentials by denying a role to this communal organisation.

[rksaigal]

This issue was raised during the elections that this kind of intrusion is not permissible in a secular democratic country. The commission was mainly planning to go to Gujarat and write a report. It would have given more credence to the secular mafia in India.

[simple1]

This is a really confused political organization defineltly Not a religious-freedom advocacy one.

1. Where are the Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism or even Buddhism commissioners?
http://www.uscirf.gov/index.php?opti...=214&Itemid=41

2. Political organization
Look closely at the list of countries monitored. You will understand. http://www.uscirf.gov/index.php?opti...1457&Itemid=60

3. Confused. Look at their annual report. They have "Women's Action Forum (WAF) " photo in their cover photo. Not related to their agenda.


Background of their visit: Page 12 of 12.
=========================
http://www.uscirf.gov/images/AR2009/...0countries.pdf

The Commission is planning to travel to
India for the first time in June 2009. Therefore the
Commission will release its report on India during
this summer.

It is not even worth discussing about this denial to clown’s club.

[sid21177]

Originally Posted by shx

ok sir! Are you from Bihar?

and why is that so f***ing important ??
don't stereotype simply coz someone wrote a comment in hindi

get off ur high horse

[digmetalq]

Originally Posted by Legal

Who are they to review and certify India? Irrespective of your political spectrum say cheers to the Govt of India.

Ever heard of Nassr program. If your name ryhmes with Mohammed, Ahmed you are a sitting duck at the airport. Why these organisations clean thier own backyard before meddling in other countries affairs.

[TravInd]

First of all is USCIRF made of all religious groups? If not what is the garantee that their report does not carry the bias they might have?

As said above, US needs to clean backyard first. People from countries like india are strip checked under the pretext of random selection. If your name is not english, you are qualified for strip searching. I was "randomly" selected every time and strip searched. Strange!!! what are the odds for being selected every time randomly?

Besides we do not need any certification from any one to prove that we are securlar.