【新唐人2013年02月22日訊】2月19號，加拿大總理哈珀在大多倫多地區宣佈，在外交部成立宗教自由辦公室，他說，中國的法輪功學員、地下基督教信徒、西藏喇嘛、維吾爾穆斯林等都是需要保護的群體，加拿大將為他們發聲。
週二下午，加拿大總理哈珀宣佈成立宗教自由辦公室，負責在全世界推廣宗教及信仰自由。數百名來自不同信仰的群體代表出席了新聞發佈會。哈珀表示，在世界上，侵犯宗教自由的現象還相當普遍，而且還在增加。
哈珀在講話中特別提到在中國、伊朗及巴基斯坦發生的宗教迫害，特別是在中國，法輪功學員，基督徒，新疆穆斯林和西藏佛教徒所受到的迫害。
哈珀：「在中國，跟政府意見不同的基督徒被趕入地下，宗教領袖被逮捕和關押。新疆穆斯林，西藏佛教徒，法輪功學員被鎮壓和恐嚇。面對這些不公及暴行，加拿大不會保持沉默 」
加拿大宗教自由辦公室首任大使伯納多：「我們的使命和責任是關於那些不能擁有信仰自由的國家,這說明加拿大政府促進人權的意願，我非常期望和同事共同在這方面努力。」
演講完畢，哈珀接受記者提問。有記者問到，在加拿大與中國這樣的國家進行貿易往來時，如何處理貿易與人權及宗教信仰自由的關係。哈珀表示，加拿大的外交政策有三大重要序列，那就是：民主和加拿大的價值、國內和國際安全與和平，以及貿易。哈珀相信，如果做得合適，所有這些目標可以攜手共進。他又表示，人們要很小心，因為在任何商業等交往中，有可能破壞加拿大價值。
出席當天發佈會的「民主中國陣線」組織全球主席盛雪說，這一次加拿大設立宗教信仰自由辦公室，開宗明義，就是要在全球推廣宗教信仰自由。
民主中國陣線全球主席盛雪：「它不僅僅是在加拿大境內，它是肩負起了這樣一個責任，就是說，在世界上甚麼地方有宗教信仰自由的迫害事件，它就會去幹預，去關注，去介入，這一點，對於許許多多的人，應該是一個極大的鼓舞。」
盛雪表示，中國在共產黨上臺執政六十年以後，幾乎所有的宗教和信仰，都被迫害和鎮壓。
盛雪：「最典型的事件，在1999年，對整個法輪功信仰群體的迫害，可以說是到了一個非常登峰造極的程度，因為他發動了所有社會各個階層，各個層面，各個領域，甚至所有的系統，對法輪功信仰群體實行全方位的鎮壓手段。」
「加拿大法輪大法佛學會」代表周立敏受邀參加新聞發佈會。她表示，那麼多年，中共都是用謊言欺騙和用貿易做籌碼，讓西方政府在法輪功問題上不敢言。
加拿大法輪大法佛學會代表周立敏：「哈珀總理這次在這麼一個舉國矚目的情況下，他講出來『我們無所畏懼』。特別提出對法輪功的迫害，從加拿大來說，很多人是不知道這個事情的。在媒體這麼關注的情況下，作為一國首腦，他提出這個問題，真是意義非凡。」
加拿大宗教自由辦公室將有5名全職員工，包括40歲的主管伯納多博士（Andrew Bennett），他是一名天主教徒。而辦公室每年預算為500萬加元，主要工作是推廣、分析、政策開發，關注受到威脅和迫害的宗教信仰群體，反對宗教仇視及打壓，同時在全球推廣加拿大的價值觀。
採訪編輯/秦雪 後製/肖顏
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.
