Skip to main content
Sabrang
Sabrang
India

India not in US State Department’s list of ‘Countries of Particular Concern’

China, Pakistan named, but India dodges bullet along with Russia, Syria and Vietnam, despite USCIRF recommendation

Sabrangindia 08 Dec 2020

Image Courtesy:idrw.org

In September this year, 14 United States senators; ten Republican and four Democrats had signed a letter to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanding that India be designated ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC), which is the US government’s special term for countries that have questionable standards of religious freedom. The move followed a recommendation to that effect by the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

However, when the State Department made its announcement of nations that were designated CPC recently, India was missing from the list. The countries the State Department designated as CPCs are Burma, China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, all of which, besides Nigeria, it had previously so designated. 

In its Annual Report 2020, USCIRF had recommended the inclusion of India in the CPC list along with Russia, Syria and Vietnam, all of whom were also left out.

This is interesting given how the International Religious Freedom Report for 2019 by the State Department itself had indicted India’s present regime for human rights violations in connection with its people’s right to practice any religion of their choice as laid down in the constitution. That report had pointed out, “Nine of the 28 states have laws restricting religious conversions.”

The IRF 2019 report had also tackled the controversial subject of Kashmir saying, “In August the central government revoked the semiautonomous status of the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir and split it into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The revocation sparked protests, criticism from Muslim leaders, and challenges filed in the Supreme Court from opposition politicians, human rights activists, and others. The government sent thousands of additional security forces to the region, shut down many internet and phone lines, and had not restored full service by year’s end. The government also closed most mosques in the area until mid-December. Seventeen civilians and three security personnel were killed during the protests.”

The report continued to relentlessly tackle one serious violation of human rights based on faith after another by the Indian regime, next taking them to task for the citizenship fiasco saying, “In December parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which accelerates citizenship for Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered the country on or before December 31, 2014, but not for similarly-situated migrants who are Muslims, Jews, atheists, or members of other faiths. The law generated widespread media and religious minority criticism, including legal challenges in the Supreme Court. Protests and violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Uttar Pradesh and Assam following the passage of the law resulted in 25 civilian deaths and hundreds of injuries.”

The Religious Freedom Report also indicted the regime for instances of mob-lynchings, saying, “Issues of religiously inspired mob violence, lynching, and communal violence were sometimes denied or ignored by lawmakers, according to a number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and media outlets. There were reports by NGOs that the government sometimes failed to act to prevent or stop mob attacks on religious minorities, marginalized communities, and critics of the government.”

It took the BJP head on saying, “Some officials of Hindu-majority parties, including from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), made inflammatory public remarks or social media posts against minority communities. Mob attacks by violent Hindu groups against minority communities, including Muslims, continued throughout the year amid rumors that victims had traded or killed cows for beef. Authorities often failed to prosecute perpetrators of such ‘cow vigilantism,’ which included killings, mob violence, and intimidation. According to some NGOs, authorities often protected perpetrators from prosecution and filed charges against victims.” 

It is therefore, rather curious, that India was not designated a CPC after all. Interestingly, just hours after the US secretary of State Mike Pompeo released the report Indian authorities allegedly responded by declining to give visas to members of USCIRF stating they had no locus standi to make pronouncements on Indian citizens.

Related:

14 US Senators demand India be designated CPC
Joe Biden bats for restoration of rights in Kashmir
US slams India yet again on subject of religious freedom
Concerns about targeting of minorities in India raised at US Congressional Briefing

India not in US State Department’s list of ‘Countries of Particular Concern’

China, Pakistan named, but India dodges bullet along with Russia, Syria and Vietnam, despite USCIRF recommendation

Image Courtesy:idrw.org

In September this year, 14 United States senators; ten Republican and four Democrats had signed a letter to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanding that India be designated ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC), which is the US government’s special term for countries that have questionable standards of religious freedom. The move followed a recommendation to that effect by the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

However, when the State Department made its announcement of nations that were designated CPC recently, India was missing from the list. The countries the State Department designated as CPCs are Burma, China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, all of which, besides Nigeria, it had previously so designated. 

In its Annual Report 2020, USCIRF had recommended the inclusion of India in the CPC list along with Russia, Syria and Vietnam, all of whom were also left out.

This is interesting given how the International Religious Freedom Report for 2019 by the State Department itself had indicted India’s present regime for human rights violations in connection with its people’s right to practice any religion of their choice as laid down in the constitution. That report had pointed out, “Nine of the 28 states have laws restricting religious conversions.”

The IRF 2019 report had also tackled the controversial subject of Kashmir saying, “In August the central government revoked the semiautonomous status of the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir and split it into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The revocation sparked protests, criticism from Muslim leaders, and challenges filed in the Supreme Court from opposition politicians, human rights activists, and others. The government sent thousands of additional security forces to the region, shut down many internet and phone lines, and had not restored full service by year’s end. The government also closed most mosques in the area until mid-December. Seventeen civilians and three security personnel were killed during the protests.”

The report continued to relentlessly tackle one serious violation of human rights based on faith after another by the Indian regime, next taking them to task for the citizenship fiasco saying, “In December parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which accelerates citizenship for Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered the country on or before December 31, 2014, but not for similarly-situated migrants who are Muslims, Jews, atheists, or members of other faiths. The law generated widespread media and religious minority criticism, including legal challenges in the Supreme Court. Protests and violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Uttar Pradesh and Assam following the passage of the law resulted in 25 civilian deaths and hundreds of injuries.”

The Religious Freedom Report also indicted the regime for instances of mob-lynchings, saying, “Issues of religiously inspired mob violence, lynching, and communal violence were sometimes denied or ignored by lawmakers, according to a number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and media outlets. There were reports by NGOs that the government sometimes failed to act to prevent or stop mob attacks on religious minorities, marginalized communities, and critics of the government.”

It took the BJP head on saying, “Some officials of Hindu-majority parties, including from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), made inflammatory public remarks or social media posts against minority communities. Mob attacks by violent Hindu groups against minority communities, including Muslims, continued throughout the year amid rumors that victims had traded or killed cows for beef. Authorities often failed to prosecute perpetrators of such ‘cow vigilantism,’ which included killings, mob violence, and intimidation. According to some NGOs, authorities often protected perpetrators from prosecution and filed charges against victims.” 

It is therefore, rather curious, that India was not designated a CPC after all. Interestingly, just hours after the US secretary of State Mike Pompeo released the report Indian authorities allegedly responded by declining to give visas to members of USCIRF stating they had no locus standi to make pronouncements on Indian citizens.

Related:

14 US Senators demand India be designated CPC
Joe Biden bats for restoration of rights in Kashmir
US slams India yet again on subject of religious freedom
Concerns about targeting of minorities in India raised at US Congressional Briefing

Related Articles

Communalism

Saffron Bigotry threatens Muslim existence in India

Brazen mobilizations by hate driven outfits, unchecked by law enforcement and the state have generated fear in the Muslim community, a fear that has turned inwards into more restrictions for Muslim women

Communalism

Saffron Bigotry threatens Muslim existence in India

Brazen mobilizations by hate driven outfits, unchecked by law enforcement and the state have generated fear in the Muslim community, a fear that has turned inwards into more restrictions for Muslim women


Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Theme

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Campaigns

Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Videos

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

IN FACT

Analysis

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Archives