【新唐人2013年02月22日讯】2月19号，加拿大总理哈珀在大多伦多地区宣布，在外交部成立宗教自由办公室，他说，中国的法轮功学员、地下基督教信徒、西藏喇嘛、维吾尔穆斯林等都是需要保护的群体，加拿大将为他们发声。
周二下午，加拿大总理哈珀宣布成立宗教自由办公室，负责在全世界推广宗教及信仰自由。数百名来自不同信仰的群体代表出席了新闻发布会。哈珀表示，在世界上，侵犯宗教自由的现象还相当普遍，而且还在增加。
哈珀在讲话中特别提到在中国、伊朗及巴基斯坦发生的宗教迫害，特别是在中国，法轮功学员，基督徒，新疆穆斯林和西藏佛教徒所受到的迫害。
哈珀：“在中国，跟政府意见不同的基督徒被赶入地下，宗教领袖被逮捕和关押。新疆穆斯林，西藏佛教徒，法轮功学员被镇压和恐吓。面对这些不公及暴行，加拿大不会保持沉默 ”
加拿大宗教自由办公室首任大使伯纳多：“我们的使命和责任是关于那些不能拥有信仰自由的国家,这说明加拿大政府促进人权的意愿，我非常期望和同事共同在这方面努力。”
演讲完毕，哈珀接受记者提问。有记者问到，在加拿大与中国这样的国家进行贸易往来时，如何处理贸易与人权及宗教信仰自由的关系。哈珀表示，加拿大的外交政策有三大重要序列，那就是：民主和加拿大的价值、国内和国际安全与和平，以及贸易。哈珀相信，如果做得合适，所有这些目标可以携手共进。他又表示，人们要很小心，因为在任何商业等交往中，有可能破坏加拿大价值。
出席当天发布会的“民主中国阵线”组织全球主席盛雪说，这一次加拿大设立宗教信仰自由办公室，开宗明义，就是要在全球推广宗教信仰自由。
民主中国阵线全球主席盛雪：“它不仅仅是在加拿大境内，它是肩负起了这样一个责任，就是说，在世界上什么地方有宗教信仰自由的迫害事件，它就会去干预，去关注，去介入，这一点，对于许许多多的人，应该是一个极大的鼓舞。”
盛雪表示，中国在共产党上台执政六十年以后，几乎所有的宗教和信仰，都被迫害和镇压。
盛雪：“最典型的事件，在1999年，对整个法轮功信仰群体的迫害，可以说是到了一个非常登峰造极的程度，因为他发动了所有社会各个阶层，各个层面，各个领域，甚至所有的系统，对法轮功信仰群体实行全方位的镇压手段。”
“加拿大法轮大法佛学会”代表周立敏受邀参加新闻发布会。她表示，那么多年，中共都是用谎言欺骗和用贸易做筹码，让西方政府在法轮功问题上不敢言。
加拿大法轮大法佛学会代表周立敏：“哈珀总理这次在这么一个举国瞩目的情况下，他讲出来‘我们无所畏惧’。特别提出对法轮功的迫害，从加拿大来说，很多人是不知道这个事情的。在媒体这么关注的情况下，作为一国首脑，他提出这个问题，真是意义非凡。”
加拿大宗教自由办公室将有5名全职员工，包括40岁的主管伯纳多博士（Andrew Bennett），他是一名天主教徒。而办公室每年预算为500万加元，主要工作是推广、分析、政策开发，关注受到威胁和迫害的宗教信仰群体，反对宗教仇视及打压，同时在全球推广加拿大的价值观。
采访编辑/秦雪 后制/肖颜
Canada’s New Body for Defending Global Religious Freedom
On February 19, Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper
announced in Toronto the establishment of Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Office of Religious Freedom.
He said, in China, the Falun Gong practitioners, underground
Christians, Tibetan Lamas, and Uighur Muslims are groups that need protection, and Canada will not be silent.
On Tuesday, Canada’s Premier Stephen Harper announced
the establishment of an Office of Religious Freedom (ORF).
The Office will be in the Department of Foreign Affairs
and International Trade and will be responsible for promoting freedom of religion and belief around the world.
Hundreds of people from different faith groups
attended his news conference on the issue.
Harper said that the violations of religious freedom
in the world are “widespread” and increasing.”
The Premier specifically mentioned
the religious persecutions in China, Iran and Pakistan,
and especially China’s persecution of Falun Gong,
Christians, Uyghur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists.
Harper said: ‘In China, Christians who worship outside
government-approved boundaries are driven underground and their religious leaders arrested and detained,
while Uyghur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong
practitioners are subjected to repression and intimidation.
“In the face of these injustices and atrocities,
Canada will not remain silent.”
Dr. Andrew Bennett was appointed as an Ambassador
of the new ORF: “I am in the road in a missions talking about religious freedom in those countries where
there is a challenge to support people seeking to practice their faith to love their faith.
So, you know I think it’s a lot about the government wanting to promote the aspect of human rights. So I am looking forward to working with my colleague, and support the effort.”
After the speech, Harper answered reporters’ questions.
A reporter asked when conducting trade with countries like
China, how should the relationship between trade, human rights and freedom of religious belief be balanced.
Harper said that Canada’s foreign policy has three important
aspects: democracy and the values of Canada, domestic and international security and peace, and trade relations.
Harper believes that all of these goals can be achieved
if they are dealt with appropriately.
He also said, people must be very careful not to undermine
Canada’s values in any commercial or other relations.
Sheng Xue, Global Chairman of Democratic China
was at the press conference.
Sheng pointed out, Canada’s setting up this ORF
is to promote freedom of religious beliefs in the world.
Sheng Xue: “It is not just inside Canada, it has taken up
such a responsibility to intervene and pay attention to wherever persecution of religious beliefs exists in the world.
This is a great encouragement for many, many people.”
Sheng Xue said, in the six decades of Chinese Communist
Party’ (CCP) rule, almost all religions and beliefs are being persecuted and suppressed.
Sheng Xue: “The most typical example is the event of 1999,
the start of the Falun Gong faith group persecution.
It can be said, this has become the pinnacle of persecution,
because it (CCP) used all the social classes, all the regions,
and even the entire system to implement a full on
repression of the Falun Gong faith group.”
Zhou Limin from the Falun Dafa Association of Canada,
was invited to participate in the news conference.
She said, for many years now CCP is using lies as bargaining
power for trade, which let the Western governments dare not speak about the Falun Gong issues.
Zhou Limin: “Premier Harper speaks out this time in such
a nationwide attention drawing manner, ‘we are not afraid.’
Especially highlighting the persecution of Falun Gong,
in Canada many people do not know about it.
In the situation where the media is highly concerned, him
mentioning this issue as a head of state is really significant.”
Canada’s ORF will have five full-time employees,
including Dr. Andrew Bennett, who is a Catholic.
Its annual budget is 5 million Canadian dollars, and its main
activities will be to promote analyze and develop policies,
concerning threatened and persecuted religious groups,
religious hatred and suppression, while promoting Canada’s values to the world.
