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It was important that the Commission meet with the delegation. Interestingly, and unfortunately, even though the Commission previously recommended sanctions for Laos, not one of the Commission's nine members was available for such a meeting. The best that could be done was a meeting with staff.

Less than a month after the delegation returned home, promising to begin work on resolving "religious issues" at the highest levels, we received reports that 34 religious prisoners (in this case, Christians) had been released from jail, a number that represents over 90 percent of all those who had been incarcerated for their faith. In a country decentralized by poor communication, massive poverty, illiteracy, and a rudimentary approach to rule of law issues, this was a huge development. There is, to be certain, a long way to go, but surely this was an opportunity to applaud significant steps along the way?

Apparently not. While the State Department responded positively to the news, the Commission's perspective seemed to be already locked in cement. Those who could not find time to meet with the delegation, to mutually promote religious freedom, found it appropriate to hurl hand grenades from afar. Dismissing facts and one of the great success stories to emerge out of the 1998 legislation, the Commission has written to the Secretary of State that, "though recent reports indicate that most [prisoners] have since been released," Laos deserves censure as a country that has "engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom."

This is unconscionable. At $3 million a year, this ought to inspire a taxpayer's revolt. More to the point, that which was conceived in error and delivered in chaos has now been consigned to irrelevancy. Unless the Commission finds some candles soon, Congress ought to turn out the lights.

After 11 years as president of World Vision, Robert A. Seiple spent two years in the State Department as the first ever U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. He is now president and founder of the Institute for Global Engagement.

Opinions expressed in Speaking Out do not necessarily reflect the views of Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

In a response to this article posted on our site November 7, 2002, USCIRF chair Felice Gaer disputed Seiple's characterizations. "Our overriding concern is to help the victims whose human rights continue to be severely violated," she wrote.

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October (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46