Lawmakers Demand State Reverse Course on Nigeria, Restore Blacklist Label
USCIRF Chair Rabbi Cooper raises awareness on Nigerian crisis
US-Nigeria Policy Needs Immediate Attention to Stop the Slaughter
The same call was voiced by the chairman of the Bipartisan United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and leading human rights watchdogs.
Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-R) hosted the hearing on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joined by Representatives French Hill (AK-R), Rich McCormick (GA-R), Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-R), Susan Wild (PA-D), Sara Jacobs (CA-D) and Brad Schneider (IL-D).
The dire situation in Nigeria has brought together decisive voices calling for action on the US-Nigeria policy. These voices are demanding that the US government return Nigeria to the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list, considered a list of human rights violators, and appoint a Special Envoy. As many as 2,500 unarmed Christians have been murdered by terrorists in Nigeria since the beginning of 2023 and potential attacks were predicted by TruthNigeria.com.
The HFAC hearing included expert panelists, notably, Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Chair USCIRF, Eric Patterson, Ph.D. President Religious Freedom Institute, and Honorable Rashad Hussain Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom U.S. Department of State.
The hearing examined the global religious freedom violations that have been on the increase –specifically the deteriorating crisis in Nigeria.
"President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria needs to be told that we [the United States] take religious freedom seriously,” Rep Smith said.
Rep Hill, believes the lack of CPC designation is concerning, asking Rabbi Cooper if he agrees that the situation in Nigeria was due to the belief that “banditry and criminality are causing priests and parishioners to be murdered?” Rabbi Cooper disproved this absurdity by saying that, “Without a doubt … religion does play a strong role”. He stated that, “Christians are worried about their future and deeply concerned about their physical safety” adding, “What I saw [in Nigeria] is like a slow-motion genocide”.
The solution is not simple but requires courage and dedication. Rep Chris Smith provides a tool with H.Res.82, which calls for Nigeria to return to the CPC list and appoint a Special Envoy. USCIRF Commissioners like Rabbi Cooper, Frank Wolf, and Eric Ueland provide a voice of reason but time is fading.
These USCIRF Commissioners presented their call for the US Government to act. Frank Wolf former congressman and current USCIRF Commissioner adamantly said, “I urge you Mr. Secretary failure to act [on CPC and Special Envoy] will literally be death [to Nigerians]”. Eric Ueland severely reprimanded the US government by declaring, “It is beyond astonishment that this administration’s foreign policy has left us on a precipice of catastrophe and genocide in Nigeria”.
The International Committee on Nigeria continues to raise awareness for the vulnerable and persecuted Nigerians. ICON joined the chorus of voices on Capitol Hill to raise critical awareness and urgent attention on Nigeria.
Kyle Abts
International Committee on Nigeria
+1 262-271-2319
info@iconhelp.org
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RABBI COOPER (USCIRF CHAIR) - Dire State of Religious Freedom in Nigeria
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