United Nations: UN Watch, the Geneva-based human rights monitoring group, has condemned the world body's move to de-recognise a leading Christian international charity, claiming the decision was taken as the charity refused China's demand to disclose names of its members in the Communist nation.
The charity called "the Dynamic Christian World Mission Foundation" -— a group registered in Korea and California -- that promotes Christianity through educational
projects in Russia, Japan and Kyrgyzstan was de-affiliated through a voting at the UN Human Rights Council.
Though US took an initiative to keep the charity's application open, countries like India, Russia, Egypt, Cuba, Pakistan and Sudan voted against it. It was a close call with
the 23 countries voting for de-recognition and 22 against at ECOSOC, the UN organ that oversees NGO participation at the UN Human Rights Council.
"Today's vote is a setback for religious freedom, and could set a dangerous precedent at the UN for repressive regimes to launch frivolous objections, or demand sensitive
information, in order to obstruct the important work of civil society organisations in the areas of religion, education, and human rights," said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer.
Those voting to reject the Christian missionary group included Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, India, Indonesia, China, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Pakistan, and Venezuela.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 13:06