RI delegation against U.S. bill on religion

JAKARTA (JP): An Indonesian delegation of religious leaders led by Amien Rais met with members of the United States Congress Tuesday and spoke against the proposed Wolf-Spectre bill on freedom from religious persecution.

Amien, chairman of the 28-million-strong Muhammadiyah Moslem organization, secretary-general of the Communion of Indonesian Churches J.M. Pattiasina and S.A.E. Nababan, who is a moderator of the World Council of Churches, told the chairman of the Congress Foreign Relations Committee, Benjamin Gillman, and five other members that the bill would be unfavorable to the international community if passed.

The legislation, proposed by Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia and Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, stipulates that the U.S. government could impose economic sanctions on countries which have poor human rights records and do not allow freedom of religion.

"The bill, if enacted, will make the United States the police for legal and religious affairs in the world," Amien said as quoted by Antara in Washington yesterday.

Amien argued that the U.S. has tended to be partial in its scrutiny of sanctioning human rights practices in different parts of the world.

"The U.S. government tends to remain silent if rights violations occurs in Israel and Serbia, but acts harshly if cases occur in Arab countries," he said.

Amien, Pattiasina and Nababan are in Washington on an invitation from the National Council of Churches in the United States (NCC). The Council is opposing the bill.

Amien said he was satisfied that he eventually could testify before Congress and defend Indonesia's human rights and religious policies.

"Although I do not know the results of the deliberation of the bill, I'm glad that I fulfilled my moral and intellectual obligation as a citizen of a country which is under scrutiny in the United States," he said.

He added that the two-hour discussion was held in an amiable and fair atmosphere. "We honestly and freely discussed both positive and negative aspects of the bill," he said.

The enactment of the bill, according to Amien, would not be an easy task as it would need the approval of a majority of the Congressional Commission.

"Even if it is later enacted into law, the U.S. President has the power of veto to cancel it," he said.

President Clinton has urged 60 Christian leaders Monday to revoke their support for the bill. (imn)