Wolf Works: investigating Persecution of Christians in Morocco

"I would like to thank you all for joining us for this important hearing, particularly those who have travelled great distances at their own expense to be with us today.

"This hearing follows in the tradition of previous hearings and actions undertaken by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and its predecessor, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, in defending and speaking out for the persecuted and disenfranchised. The commission has held hearings and advocated for groups as diverse as the Buddhists in Tibet, the Montagnards in Vietnam, Chaldean Catholic Christians in Iraq, the Ahmadis in Pakistan and the Muslim Uyghurs in China. Today, the commission will examine the precarious situation of Christians in Morocco.

"Over the course of the last three months, approximately 49 American citizens and scores of other foreign nationals have been deported and denied re-entry into the Kingdom of Morocco for allegedly proselytizing. While proselytism is against the law in Morocco, authorities have refused to turn over any evidence or offer any explanation of the charges. Among the individuals who were deported or denied reentry were businessmen, educators and humanitarian and social workers, many of whom had resided in Morocco for over a decade in full compliance with the law. Additionally, those deported were forced to leave the country within two hours of being questioned by authorities, leaving everything behind.

"As a result of the deportations, a number of organizations which were run by foreign nationals and provided vital community services have been shuttered. One organization which has been adversely affected is the Village of Hope orphanage in Morocco's Atlas mountains. We are privileged today to hear the testimony from several individuals who worked at the Village of Hope.

"The harsh and sudden nature of these expulsions calls into question the long standing friendship and mutual cooperation between the United States and Morocco, dating back to the letter the Sultan of Morocco sent to George Washington at Valley Forge declaring that American vessels were permitted to enter Moroccan ports to 'take refreshments and enjoy in them the same privileges and immunities as those of the other nations.' This letter signified the first official recognition of our fledgling nation.

"I have worked with both Moroccan and U.S. officials over the last three months in an attempt to resolve the situation. On March 19, I wrote a letter to the U.S. Ambassador to Morocco, Sam Kaplan, detailing my intent to meet the Moroccan ambassador to the U.S., and urging Ambassador Kaplan to 'convey to the government of Morocco that members of Congress are watching these events closely and the outcome could negatively affect our bilateral relations.'

"On March 24, I met with the Moroccan ambassador to the U.S. regarding this matter. On April 15, I wrote a letter to the King of Morocco asking that he designate a single person within the government with the authority to find a humanitarian solution. Unfortunately, the Moroccan government seems unwilling to compromise, as evidenced by a recent letter I received from a representative of the King.

"I submit all of this correspondence for the record in addition to two articles, from Christianity Today and Time Magazine, reporting these events.

"I have remained in regular communication with the Moroccan Ambassador to the United States and in fact delayed setting a date for the hearing on several occasions in order to allow adequate time for a solution to be reached. I am disappointed that we have come to the point that a congressional hearing looking into this situation is necessary.

"In addition to convening this hearing, I have written three letters,which I also submit for the record, to the board members of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) asking that it suspend the five-year compact with Morocco, which is worth $697.5 million. The MCC awards compacts on the basis of 17 key indicators of eligibility, six of which fall under the category of 'ruling justly.'

"However, recent events raise serious questions regarding the Moroccan government's willingness to abide by the principles outlined in the MCC indicators. The decision to suspend a MCC Compact due to a significant deterioration in good governance is not unprecedented
At my urging, the board chose to suspend the MCC Compact with Nicaragua due to the violence and blatant thuggery exhibited exhibited by the regime of President Daniel Ortega surrounding the November 2008 elections.

"At a time when the U.S. debt is over $13 trillion, it is inappropriate for American taxpayer money to go to a nation which disregards the rights of American citizens residing in Morocco and forcibly expels Americans without due process of law. I have been assured that the MCC is carefully considering this request. I recently received a response from the Department to my letters, which read in part, 'we recognize the distress this has caused the U.S. citizens involved, and agree that the government of Morocco's actions raise deep concerns.' However, I am disappointed that the State Department declined an invitation to testify at the hearing today. Furthermore, I am disappointed that the Ambassador Kaplan and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have not vocally advocated for U.S. citizens.

"It is the primary responsibility of the United States' embassies to defend and advocate for U.S. citizens and interests abroad. At a time when the rights of Americans under Moroccan law are clearly being violated, I am disappointed that both Ambassador Kaplan and Secretary Clinton have neglected to publically defend the rights of U.S. citizens. Therefore, I call on both the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Rabat to speak out on behalf of these U.S. citizens and raise these issues at the highest levels.

"In addition to the American citizens and other foreign nationals who have come under pressure by the government of Morocco, the situation of Moroccan Christians remains bleak. A U.S.-based NGO, International Christian Concern, recently reported that a pastor near Marrakech stated, 'We have stopped all worship activity. We are afraid they will attack us if we are in meetings, so there is no meeting.' A Moroccan citizen, Jamaa Ait Bakrim, who converted to Christianity after a trip to Europe in 1993 is currently serving a 15 year prison sentence for apostasy. Over the past several weeks, I have met with and heard from scores of Moroccan Christians that have asked me to speak out on their behalf and call on the Moroccan government to respect religious freedom. Many feel that their voices have long been silenced that that these events highlight some of the pressures they experience.

"In addition, my office has received dozens upon dozens of e-mails and letters of encouragement from all over the United States in support of the commission's efforts to highlight these abuses and raise questions about the appropriateness of Morocco continuing to receive significant amounts of U.S. foreign aid.

"It is my sincere hope that this hearing will improve the situation for religious minorities in Morocco by shedding light on their precarious circumstances. I will continue to stay with this issue until a resolution has been reached. Should this matter remain unresolved, it is possible that I may offer amendments in the Appropriations committee and on the House floor to restrict U.S. foreign aid from going to Morocco.

"I look forward to the testimonies of our witnesses, and again, thank you for being with us here today."