After a half-year's relative inactivity on international religious freedom and persecution, President Bush has begun to ramp up his response to those issues, according to White House sources.So far the Bush team has not focused much on international religious freedom. There has been no Ambassador at Large for Religious Liberty Abroad since Robert Seiple stepped down a year ago. Further, the White House has not appointed its three members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
Focus on SudanAfter urgings from Franklin Graham, Chuck Colson, and others, the President in May invoked George Washington's declaration that "the government of the United States. … gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance." Bush focused particular attention on Sudan, announcing that "our actions begin today" to stop "persecution and atrocities."Bush's dilemma is how to balance his commitment to religious freedom in Sudan and elsewhere with his pro-business inclinations. "Sudan is the litmus test of [Bush's] resolve on how religion integrates into foreign policy," says Nina Shea of the USCIRF.
In fact, the administration opposes the House of Representatives version of the Sudan Peace Act, which would prohibit oil companies or their subsidiaries that do business in Sudan from raising money in U.S. capital markets.
In interviews with CT, White House staffers toned down their opposition to the act. "The administration fully supports the goals of the [Sudan Peace] Act and will help Congress to craft a final version," a National Security Council (NSC) staffer said.
White House officials seem willing at least to force companies to disclose their activities in the country.
Activists are heartened by the President's ...
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