In a series of tweets on Thursday and Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed the importance of religious freedom. He says where there is no freedom of religion, terrorism and violence increase.
“What we leave behind is nearly 30 national religious freedom roundtables around the world, including in Colombia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan,” Pompeo tweeted on Friday.
“Upholding the right to religious freedom is a moral and national security imperative,” he added in a separate tweet. Where religious freedom is absent, terrorism and violence intensify. Our support for religious groups overseas helps ensure the protection and prosperity of Americans here at home.”
Pompeo took to Twitter on Thursday to summarize his work in promoting religious freedom. “I am honored to host the Ministerial Conference on Promoting Religious Freedom at the State Department, the first in 2018 and the second in 2019,” he said.
Pompeo also said Poland held the 2020 Ministerial Conference on Promoting Religious Freedom, and the fourth will be held in Brazil in 2021.
“If we don’t stand up for religious freedom, no one else will.” Pompeo said.
He added, “The defense of human dignity, especially religious freedom, remains at the core of American foreign policy.”
“For me personally, there is no human rights diplomacy that is more important than religious freedom. Freedom of worship is at the heart of our founding.” Pompeo said.
Pompeo met December 3 with representatives of groups from Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Hong Kong, and the Falun Gong, which are heavily persecuted by the Communist Party of China.
On Dec. 10, 2020, the State Department sanctioned 17 current and former foreign government officials for their involvement in serious human rights violations, including Huang Yuanxiong, head of the Wucun police station of the Xiamen Municipal Public Security Bureau, who persecuted Chinese Falun Gong practitioners.
“Promoting and advancing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms remains a top priority for the United States,” the State Department said in a statement at the time. On Human Rights Day, the United States is proud to reaffirm our commitment to use all appropriate tools and powers to raise awareness of human rights violations and abuses, and to advance accountability for those responsible for them; Wherever and whenever these acts occur.”
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