Central and East Asia. Russia. China. and subSaharan Africa. In large parts of the world. this fundamental freedom is constantly and brutally under siege. The worldwide erosion of respect for this fundamental freedom is the cause of widespread human suffering. grave injustices. refugee flows. and significant threats to peace and stability. This Congress has heard the cries of Iraqi and Syrian Christians who face the threat of extinction. slavery. and death. We have heard about the plight of Rohingya Muslims. who face attacks and such unimaginable discrimination from hardline Buddhist groups that many chose slavery elsewhere than life in Burma.