USA (MNN) — Four more countries may begin feeling the heat from the United States over religious freedom violations. The US Commission for International Religious Freedom released a report Tuesday recommending four additional nations for the State Department to designate as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) – India, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Vietnam.
Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA (VOM) says, “That will be interesting. In some of those cases, there are trade relationships like India. In others, it has been confusing to me how Nigeria was not on the list previously. So we wait and see what the State Department does.
“Part of the State Department’s job is to talk about religious freedom. But they also, obviously, want to keep trade relationships good. They want to keep military relationships good. So they kind of factor in a lot more different angles into the equation.”
When it comes to the four nations recommended as CPCs by the USCIRF report, Nettleton explains, “In some of those cases, there are trade relationships — like India. In others, it’s been confusing to me how Nigeria was not on the list previously.”
(Photo courtesy of USCIRF)
Foreign governments have criticized America in the past for making religious freedom part of the conversation.
“These countries who are listed on this list…are saying, ‘This is none of your business. You need to take care of your country. We’ll take care of our country, and you don’t tell us what to do.’ That is the attitude.”
However, Nettleton points to the US International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. He explains, “Our government has actually passed a law to say, ‘No, it (religious freedom) is important. We are going to pay attention to it.’ I think it’s important for us as citizens to remind our government leaders that this is something we care about too.”
Now is a critical time for Christians to respond and prayerfully intercede for these nations.
Nettleton encourages, “The map that is printed in the USCIRF report is something that you can take and pray over. In all of these countries, we have Christian brothers and sisters who are paying a price for being bold witnesses for Christ.”
You can also find more prayer resources with VOM USA here.
Header photo courtesy of Arpit Rastogi/Unsplash.
