Coalition for Religious Freedom Update for January 23, 2012

HAPPY GOD’S DAY!!

Dear Friends,

As we celebrate God’s Day 2012, we at ICRF are resolved to redouble our efforts to bring about the complete eradication of faith-breaking in Japan and prepare the way for our True Parents to be welcomed everywhere in the world. Over the past decade we have succeeded in helping to lift the travel restrictions against Father and Mother in Europe, and also to reduce the numbers of “deprogrammings” in Japan from literally hundreds per year in the past to less than 10 in 2011. This was accomplished through our outreach to Congress and the State Department here in the U.S., by creating international pressure on the mainstream Christian churches in Japan to stop supporting faith-breaking, and through civil law suits in Japan. We are also successfully exposing the connection between the Japanese anti-UC lawyers group and the criminal activities of the faithbreakers. This year we intend to bring about a change in the Japanese government’s attitude so that the police and courts finally act to uphold our members’ rights rather than turning a blind eye to these crimes as a mere “family matter.”

HRWF Report. We are glad to report that the respected Brussels-based NGO “Human Rights Without Frontiers International” has released an independent study titled “Japan: Abduction and Deprivation of Freedom for the Purpose of Religious De-conversion.” It confirms the serious violation of religious freedom posed by faithbreaking in Japan. HRWF director Willy Fautre issued a press release saying: “The failure to provide the victims of [these] kidnappings with equal protection under the law, and the impunity of those responsible, constitute a serious violation of the Japanese people’s constitutionally guaranteed rights and the international human rights standards to which Japan is legally bound.” Noted human rights expert Dr. Aaron Rhodes, who wrote the report’s introduction, stated: “In the face of such official negligence and impunity, one cannot state that there is freedom of religion in Japan.”

The study has already been widely disseminated in the human rights community. We will make additional efforts to bring it to the attention of key international human rights NGOs and official agencies such as the UN Human Rights Council, which is preparing a review of Japan’s human rights record, the World Council of Churches, the U.S. Congress and the State Department, the Religious Freedom Roundtable in Washington DC and others. You can read the report at this link. [www.hrwf.net/Joom/images/reports/2011/1231%20report%20final.pdf]

Tour de Cause News. The “Tour de Cause” nationwide bicycle challenge has been gathering steam as Religious Freedom Riders Seijin Tranberg and Joshua Wildman make their way across the country. In Dallas, Texas, a Religious Freedom Rally in support of the riders drew five TV stations on January 2. Prominent civil rights leaders, clergy, television personalities and civic leaders lent their voices in support of the tour. The event featured talk-show personality Ester Davis, who read official greetings from Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. Also speaking were well known Christian preacher Bishop Harold Edward and Mrs. Taeko White, a deprogramming survivor from Houston, together with her son, who read a tribute to his mother. An excellent article covering the event was contributed by team member Doug Burton on Familyfed.com. [www.familyfed.org/news/index.php?id=351&page=1&apage=1]

After leaving the flatter lands of Texas, Seijin and Josh worked their way across New Mexico. This has been the toughest part of their tour, since there are serious winds and a long uphill climb as they approach the southern section of the Rocky Mountains. At Las Cruces, New Mexico, Seijin posted: “1,700 (miles) down, 700 to go!” Please pray for them, and follow Seijin on Facebook. We are expecting a great result as they are due to reach Phoenix Arizona today!

New Victim. Sadly, we must report that a new victim of abduction and confinement is probably undergoing faith-breaking at this moment. “ Ms. N.I.” has been missing since January 3, when she went to visit her family at her grandmother’s house in Omiya City. She is 34 years old and graduated from the law school at of Meiji Gakuin University in 2000. She joined the UC in 1998 and became a full-time member in 2007. She is engaged to a Korean brother and is planning to be blessed in marriage to him this spring. Like many Japanese Unificationists, she kept her UC affiliation secret, fearing job discrimination and her family’s disapproval. She informed her father about her church membership in 2007, when she quit her job to work full time for the church. He seemed supportive, but she did not tell her mother about it until 2011.

A friend reported that on the morning of January 3, Ms. N.I. called to say she was going to visit her family at her grandparents’ house. At 6:30 p.m. that day, the friend received an suspicious e-mail from N.I.’s cellphone saying, “Now I am in Mito [her parents’ hometown] and cannot return today. I am with my family.” Concerned for her safety and freedom, three church members visited her parents’ home at 10:30 p.m. that day. Her sister answered the door and said, “My sister is not here. She must be in her grandparents’ house in Omiya City. Our parents are there, too. It’s a family issue. She is safe. Please go away.” Please keep Ms. N.I. in your prayers.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR 2011 DONATIONS! To all those who donated for our stateside work this year, we are greatly appreciative. In a nutshell, because of your support, we could start our Second Gen Intern program, bring our website up to date so that now it is among the top three websites consulted for current

updates on international religious freedom. In fact, our interns and staff have created updated reports on religious freedom in more than 190 countries, together with an at-a- glance rating system.

We welcome more supporters to contribute on a monthly basis to ICRF – every contribution adds up. Please go to our website www.religiousfreedom.com and click on the Donate button in the lower left corner of our home page. We expect more astounding accomplishments this year and need the support of our members who live in America. Here is the perfect way to show your love to our Japanese members for the historic foundation work they have done over the last 40 years in America and around the world at such great sacrifice. Thank you Japanese members!

CONTACT: 7245-A Hanover Parkway, Greenbelt, MD 20770 Email: icrfusa@gmail.com Website: www.religiousfreedom.com