INTRO: NEW YORK CITY OFFICIALS ARE CONSIDERING A
RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON AND CONGRESS CALL
FOR AN END TO THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD AND
TO MAKE THAT A TOP PRIORITY OF U-S FOREIGN POLICY. V-O-A’S RITA
COLORITO REPORTS THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL HEARD TESTIMONY TODAY
(TUESDAY) URGING THE UNITED STATES TO CONSIDER HUMAN RIGHTS BEFORE
ECONOMIC GAIN WHEN DEALING WITH NATIONS INVOLVED IN PERSECUTING
CHRISTIANS.

TEXT: NINA SHEA OF THE FREEDOM HOUSE HUMAN RIGHTS
ORGANIZATION TESTIFIED THAT CHRISTIANS ARE THE MOST PERSECUTED
RELIGIOUS GROUP IN THE WORLD TODAY.

/// SHEA ACT ///

CHRISTIANS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD SUFFER BRUTAL
TORTURE, ARREST, IMPRISONMENT AND EVEN DEATH — THEIR HOMES AND
COMMUNITIES LAID WASTE FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THEY ARE CHRISTIANS.

/// END ACT //

THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL, IN ITS HEARING ON THE
PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS, ALSO HEARD TESTIMONY FROM PAUL MARSHALL,
A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE INSTITUTE FOR CHRISTIAN STUDIES IN TORONTO,
CANADA. HE SAID THE MAIN PERPETRATORS ARE COMMUNIST COUNTRIES
AND COUNTRIES RULED BY MILITANT ISLAMIC GROUPS. HE SAID CHINA,
EGYPT, SUDAN, SAUDIA ARABIA, AND VIETNAM ARE ESPECIALLY ANTI-CHRISTIAN.

/// MARSHALL ACT ///

TWO-THIRDS OF THE WORLD’S NOMINAL CHRISTIANS LIVE
OUTSIDE THE WEST. HENCE, IN ADDRESSING THIS QUESTION OF THE PERSECUTION
OF CHRISTIANS, WE ARE NOT FOCUSING ON A PECULIARLY WESTERN OR
NORTH AMERICAN PREDILECTION, BUT ON THE LARGEST AND WIDEST MANIFESTATION
OF RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN THE WORLD TODAY.

/// END ACT ///

PETER VALLONE, SPEAKER OF THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL,
SAID IF THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTION AGAINST
THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS, NEW YORK CITY WILL USE ITS FINANCIAL
RESOURCES TO HELP BRING AN END TO IT.

IN THE PAST, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS USED NEW YORK’S
ECONOMIC POWER IN SANCTIONS AGAINST APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA
AND, MOST RECENTLY, TO PRESSURE SWISS BANKS TO MAKE REPARATIONS
TO HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS.

(SIGNED)

NEB/NY/RC/LSF

15-Apr-97 4:01 PM EDT (2001 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America