FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2000

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

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom today issued a statement urging Congress and the Administration not to lift sanctions on Sudan before that country takes verifiable steps to end religious persecution and engage in serious negotiations to end the country's 17-year civil war. The text of the statement follows:

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom notes a recent flurry of diplomatic activity regarding Sudan. The Khartoum government is trying to end United Nations sanctions imposed after Sudan gave refuge to would-be assassins who attacked Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 1995. It is engaged in diplomatic efforts to gain a regional seat on the U.N. Security Council. U.S. Special Envoy Harry Johnston recently visited Khartoum and an American delegation traveled there this week to discuss terrorism issues. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives appears to be on the verge of enacting legislation that would lift an embargo on food and medicine sales to Cuba - but also to Iran, Libya, North Korea, and Sudan.

Much has been written in recent days about Sudan as a sponsor of terrorist groups and whether Khartoum has turned over a new leaf. That is a judgment for others to make. What the Islamist extremist regime in Khartoum has not done, however, is to end severe violations of religious freedom or engage in serious negotiations to end the 17-year civil war it has waged against the people of the south, who are mostly Christian or followers of traditional African religions. Sudan's genocidal conduct and crimes against humanity in this war include deliberate bombing attacks on civilian facilities (including churches, schools, and famine-relief centers), slavery, massacres, forced conversion to Islam, and the use of deliberate starvation as a weapon of war. Nearly 2 million people, mostly southerners, have perished in this conflict, a large percentage from famine. Muslims in the north who do not subscribe to the government's extremist interpretation of Islam and Islamic law face similar harsh treatment. As the Commission found in its May 1 Annual Report to Congress and the Administration, "the government of Sudan is the world's most violent of abuser of the right to freedom of religion and belief."

Last September, the State Department named Sudan a "country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), labeling it a "particularly severe" violator of religious freedom. It has been sanctioned under that act as well as under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for "denial of religious freedom." A finding that Sudan is or is not sponsoring terrorism in no way changes its liability to IRFA and IEEPA sanctions for engaging in egregious religious persecution. Indeed, barring sudden improvement, Sudan will almost certainly be named again this coming September as a country of particular concern and the sanctions renewed.

Given these facts, the Commission strongly urges Congress not to mandate any lifting of sanctions against Sudan applied under the IRFA - which call for the U.S. to oppose loans or other financial benefits from international financial institutions to Sudan - until and unless Khartoum gives verifiable evidence of ending religious persecution and of engaging in serious negotiations towards ending the civil war. In addition, until the same conditions are met, the Commission urges the President and Secretary of State 1) not to upgrade bilateral diplomatic relations; and 2) use the U.S. veto in the Security Council if necessary to ensure that Sudan not obtain a Security Council seat. Finally, the Commission urges that Congress and the Administration study and implement the Commission's comprehensive recommendations regarding Sudan contained in its May 1 report. Among those was a recommendation that the U.S. increase the amount of humanitarian aid to needy Sudanese that is shipped via programs that the Khartoum government cannot veto.

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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." 

Hon. Elliott Abrams,Chair

• Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Vice Chair, Rabbi David Saperstein, Laila Al-Marayati, M.D.Hon. John R. Bolton, Dean Michael K. Young, Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick, Nina Shea, Justice Charles Z. Smith, Ambassador Robert Seiple, Ex-Officio, Steven T. McFarland, Executive Director

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" />