US Mission Geneva

Ambassador Rice has been in close contact last night and this morning with the Secretary General. We’re, first and foremost, going to pledge to help the UN in any way possible. I think as part of our international coordination, obviously, a variety of countries have troops that are contributors to the UN mission. If that force needs to be augmented in some way, we’ll take a look at that. But right now, I think the urgency that the Secretary General expressed, we understand and we’re going to provide that support to the UN as quickly as possible, is to try to free those who are trapped inside the rubble of the UN headquarters.

In response to the earthquake in Haiti, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is dispatching a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and has activated its partners, the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team and the Los Angeles County Search and Rescue Team. The USAR teams will be composed of up to 72 personnel, 6 search and rescue canines and up to 48 tons of rescue equipment.

Secretary Napolitano will travel to Geneva, Switzerland, on Jan. 22 to meet with members of the International Air Transport Association—which represents approximately 230 airlines and more than 90 percent of the world’s air traffic—as part of the Department’s efforts to work with the airline industry to ensure all flights to the U.S. meet both international and U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security standards.

President Obama: “My thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected by this earthquake. We are closely monitoring the situation and we stand ready to assist the people of Haiti.”

We are still gathering information about this catastrophic earthquake, the point of impact, its effect on the people of Haiti. The United States is offering our full assistance to Haiti and to others in the region. We will be providing both civilian and military disaster relief and humanitarian assistance. And our prayers are with the people who have suffered, their families, and their loved ones.

Freedom of religion or belief cannot be ensured without the vigorous protection of free speech. The two freedoms are indivisible and interdependent, and protect core aspects of the identity of both individuals and communities. Their equal protection promotes the debate and dissent that are essential to healthy societies, protects against discrimination, and helps unleash the potential of all individuals to participate in political, social and economic life.

Religious freedom is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 18, which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

A core element of the right to speak one’s mind includes the ability to espouse and practice whatever religious beliefs one chooses. Debates over theological differences have been a vibrant part of the American marketplace of ideas since the time of the Pilgrims, and our Constitution’s First Amendment enshrines free speech as a core value.

Countering religious persecution in Islam is a mandate, according to the Quran: “And how could you refuse to fight in the cause of God and of the utterly helpless men and women and children who are crying, “O our Sustainer! Lead us forth [to freedom] out of this land whose people are oppressors, and raise for us, out of Thy grace, a protector, and raise for us, out of Thy grace, one who will bring us succor!” (4:75). Indeed, the biblical prophets were on a mission to deliver a message to believe in One God and to deliver people from darkness to light. Hence, religious freedom and human rights are indistinguishable.