The United States today added Saudi Arabia, Eritrea and Vietnam to the list of countries which are of ‘‘particular concern’’ under the International Religious Freedom Act for severe violations of religious freedom.Secretary of State Colin Powell announced this during a press briefing presenting the latest report on international religious freedom. Already on the list of countries of particular concern are China, Burma, Iran, North Korea and Sudan. On India, the report says the status of religious freedom has improved but there were problematic areas including alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.‘‘For the first time, all three most important politicians in India are members of religious minorities, a Muslim, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, being President; a Sikh, Dr Manmohan Singh, being Prime Minister; and a Christian, Sonia Gandhi, being the president of the governing Congress party,’’ the report said. ‘‘The BJP-led Government, which previously campaigned on a Hindutva platform, adopted a more inclusive rhetoric regarding minorities and took some steps to decrease violence.’’ Though the BJP states that the caste system should be eradicated, many of its members were ambivalent about this objective.
