FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2000

Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom today wrote to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright with recommendations for a stronger U.S. government response to the Muslim-Christian violence wracking Indonesia's Maluku Islands, formerly know as the Spice Islands. The violence has reportedly killed at least 3,000 people in the past year. The text of the letter follows below:

The Honorable Madeleine K. Albright
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Albright:

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is gravely concerned about the current communal violence in the Malukus region of Indonesia. There are reports that at least 3,000 Muslims and Christians have been killed since the outbreak of violence in January 1999, and hundreds are believed to have died in the last two weeks. The situation worsens as the killing continues and supplies of food and medicine reportedly dwindle in the region.

The Commission is particularly concerned because there is evidence to suggest that the Indonesian government is tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom such as murder, forced mass resettlement, and torture. There appears to be little question but that the targets and victims of such violence are selected on the basis of their religion. Moreover, places of worship have been primary targets for destruction.

The Commission is aware that the Administration and you personally have spoken out in response to the recent violence, and have sought, in our bilateral relations with Indonesia, to support President Wahid in his efforts to control the unrest. However, the Commission believes that the serious escalation of violence in the Malukus in recent weeks requires a more energetic response on the part of the United States.

The Commission respectfully recommends that the United States Government: 1) use all diplomatic means at its disposal to encourage the Indonesian government to stop the violence and to investigate and prosecute those responsible; 2) provide whatever assistance is necessary to help the Indonesian government in these efforts as well as to alleviate the humanitarian situation; 3) monitor closely the implementation of the state of civil emergency in the Malukus that President Wahid declared on June 25, 2000; and 4) if the Indonesian government is unable to control the violence, press for the deployment of an international peacekeeping force, as was done in East Timor.

The efforts undertaken so far by the Indonesian government have been inadequate to quell the violence. Moreover, there is evidence to suggest that the government can do more, but is unable or unwilling to do so. There are reports that members of the Indonesian security forces in the Malukus have taken sides in the fighting between Muslims and Christians; some have participated in the fighting while others may have supplied weapons to the combatants. The so-called "Lasker Jihad" group, led by Jaffar Umar Thalib, has for a number of weeks openly called for violence against Christians in the Malukus. Thousands of the Lasker group have been able to travel, and ship weapons, to the Malukus despite the government's announcement of a blockade of the region.

Because the Commission has been denied access to cable traffic with any U.S. embassy, including the one in Jakarta, we would appreciate additional information from the Department regarding:

• are there factions within the military encouraging or participating in the violence and, if so, at what level of the military hierarchy; has the military failed to carry out any of President Wahid's orders in relation to the situation in the Malukus?

• what is the Indonesian government doing to ensure the neutrality and effectiveness of the security forces in the Malukus, and to control outside provocateurs and paramilitary groups?

• what legal power does President Wahid possess that would allow him to respond more effectively to the violence, and is he able as a political matter to carry out his full legal powers?

• are investigations and prosecutions taking place with respect to previous incidents of violence?

• are sophisticated weapons being used in the violent attacks, and, if so, where are the weapons coming from?

• has the Indonesian government been able to do more to stop communal violence in other situations, such as Aceh or East Timor?

• what has the Indonesian government done to promote tolerance among Christians and Muslims?

The Commission fully appreciates the enormously difficult situation confronting President Wahid and the obstacles facing him and Indonesia in that country's transition to democracy, and in the struggle for human rights and religious freedom there. In that context it is all the more important to urge that whatever measures the Indonesian government takes to prevent further violence are consistent with democratic principles and international humanitarian and human rights standards.

The Commission will continue to monitor closely events in the Malukus, and we appreciate your consideration of our recommendations and our request for information. Thank you for your close attention to this urgent matter and your continuing support for religious freedom in Indonesia.

Respectfully yours,

Elliott Abrams

Chairman

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress." src="https://www.uscirf.org/images/layout/subbottomtext1.gif" />

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2000

Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom today announced an expanded work program for its second year. "With the lessons of our first year, during which the Commission organized itself, hired staff, and moved into offices, now behind us, both Commissioners and staff feel ready to tackle a larger agenda," said Elliott Abrams, the Commission's Chairman. "This is what Congress intended in creating the Commission."

In the coming year, Chairman Abrams said, the Commission will:

• monitor religious-freedom violations worldwide;

• evaluate US foreign policy responses and make recommendations as to how U.S. policy can be more effective in combating religious persecution;

• expand the number of countries it will study in depth and make policy recommendations for each;

• press for implementation of the May 1 report's recommendations regarding China, Sudan, and Russia, while continuing to follow developments in those countries;

• put forward U.S. policy options on protecting the right to change one's faith and the right to seek to persuade others to change theirs;

• deliver further recommendations on the extent to which capital-market sanctions and other diplomatic leverage should be used as a diplomatic tool to promote religious freedom in other countries;

• recommend to the Secretary of State additional countries that should be placed on the list of "countries of particular concern" called for in the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998 (last year's list included Burma, China, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Serbia, and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan); and

• perform a study of the Immigration and Naturalization Service's Expedited Removal Program involving asylum claims to see if claims of religious persecution are being properly adjudicated. (This study was authorized by the International Religious Freedom Act.)

The Commission plans several public hearings during the final four months of 2000 in support of these activities.

"The Commission won't be limited by this list of planned activities," Abrams noted. "If events dictate that we change course and bring other countries or issues into the mix, we will not hesitate to do so."

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress." src="https://www.uscirf.org/images/layout/subbottomtext1.gif" />

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2000

Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom today elected Commissioner Elliott Abrams to serve as Chairman during its second year of operation. Commissioner Firuz Kazemzadeh was elected as Vice Chairman.

The two will serve until May 14, 2001, when the terms of the current Commissioners expire. They replace Rabbi David Saperstein and Michael Young, who served as Chairman and Vice Chairman during the Commission's inaugural year. A yearly election is required by law; Commissioners decided in June 1999 that they would rotate officers each year.

Mr. Abrams is currently President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. After serving on the staff of Sens. Henry M. Jackson and Daniel Patrick Moynihan in the 1970s, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, and Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs during the Reagan Administration. He was a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute from 1990 to 1996, when he moved to the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Abrams holds a B.A. from Harvard College, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and a Master's degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics.

Dr. Kazemzadeh, of Alta Loma, California, recently retired as Secretary for External Affairs of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States. He is Professor Emeritus of History at Yale University, having taught Russian history there from 1956 until his retirement in 1992. During his tenure at Yale, Kazemzadeh also served variously as Director of Graduate Studies in Russian and Eastern European Studies; Chair of the Committee on Middle Eastern Studies; Director of Graduate Studies in History; and Master of Davenport College. He is the author of several books relating to Russia and Central Asia.

"Rabbi Saperstein and Dean Young provided extraordinary leadership in steering the Commission through its first year, during which it organized itself, hired staff, moved into offices, held important public hearings on Sudan and China, and issued its first Annual Report," Abrams said. "Every one of us on the Commission, and indeed the cause of international religious freedom, is indebted to them both. Fortunately they will remain active members of the Commission during the coming year."

"The Commission has had a real impact on U.S. policy toward Sudan this past year," Abrams added, "and the strong position the Commission took on PNTR for China also demonstrates that we can play a real role in the debate over American foreign policy. We will be looking at a larger number of countries in the coming year, seeking to have an even broader impact. I look forward to this challenge with enthusiasm, and am lucky to have Professor Kazemzadeh as a partner in this work."

The Commission, which first met in June 1999, was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. It consists of nine appointed Commissioners and one non-voting Commissioner, who is the Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom at the State Department. Three Commissioners are appointed by the President, three by the House of Representatives, and three by the Senate.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress." src="https://www.uscirf.org/images/layout/subbottomtext1.gif" />