ANOTHER SIGN OF FREDO'S FAILURE

Iraq added to U.S. religious freedom watchlist
USA Today
4/27/2007

WASHINGTON (AP) — Soaring sectarian violence and government abuses have caused an alarming deterioration in religious freedom in Iraq, prompting a U.S. advisory panel for the first time to place it on a watch list of countries where worship is under severe threat.

Citing gross violations of the rights of Sunni and Shiite Muslims, as well as followers of numerous minority beliefs, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom added Iraq to its "watch list" on Wednesday. Violations included arbitrary arrests, torture and rape.

"Despite ongoing efforts to stabilize the country, successive Iraqi governments have not adequately curbed the growing scope and severity of human rights abuses," it said, describing an "alarming and deteriorating situation for freedom of religion and belief."

"The Iraqi government has engaged in human rights violations through its state security forces, including arbitrary arrest, prolonged detention without due process, extrajudicial executions and systematic torture," it said.

...the government also condoned or tolerated "religiously based attacks and other religious freedom abuses carried out by armed Shia factions" with official links.

"Given these ties, the Iraqi government's failure to control such actors could ultimately constitute tolerance of egregious, ongoing and systematic violations of religious freedom," the report said.