CSW concerned by USCIRF’s decision to remove Sudan and CAR from Special Watch List recommendation

CSW is concerned by the decision of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to remove the Central African Republic (CAR) and Sudan, along with Bahrain, from the countries recommended for placement on the State Department’s Special Watch List (SWL) in relation to the situation of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in those countries.

The Commission explained that its decision to remove these countries from the SWL came about because it had “concluded that, although religious freedom concerns remain in all three countries, conditions last year did not meet the high threshold required to recommend SWL status.”

While there have indeed been some limited positive developments in relation to FoRB and human rights in Sudan following the deposition of former President Omar al Bashir in April 2019 and the subsequent establishment of a transitional government in August 2019, FoRB concerns remain at a level that is significantly high enough to warrant recommendation for the SWL.

In particular, Christians and churches in the country have continued to experience incidents of violence and harassment, and several laws remain in place which fundamentally restrict the right to FoRB. Additionally, while the authorities have promised to tackle instances of violence against Christians, justice remains elusive in many cases.

With regard to CAR, constitutional provisions for FoRB do not express the full definition of the right outlined as in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and relevant international treaties. Before 2012, religion was not a serious fault line in conflict; however, this changed when local sources at the time noted the increased targeting of the Christian population by Seleka elements. Since then religion has remained a factor. Religious groups also continue to experience severe violations and violence at the hands of a wide range of armed actors who operate within a culture of impunity. The violence around the elections in December 2020 demonstrates the volatility of the security situation in the country and leaves room for armed groups to continue exploiting grievances, including religion.

CSW’s Head of Advocacy Khataza Gondwe said: “CSW is very concerned by USCIRF’s decision to no longer recommend the CAR and Sudan for placement on the Special Watch List. The situation of freedom of religion or belief in these countries warrants the continued attention of international actors, including USCIRF, and the decision to remove them from this list is premature and misguided. We call for continued scrutiny of the situation of FoRB in all three countries by USCIRF and other relevant institutions and governments, and urge international actors not to be misled by limited positive developments which may obscure the overall picture for human rights in the countries concerned.”