03 October 2001

Congressman Royce Stresses Tolerance After Terrorist Attacks in U.S.

Washington - House International Relations Africa Subcommittee Chairman Ed Royce October 3 displayed the same concern and determination that have earned him a reputation as a champion of human rights in Africa as he told Congress Americans must fight intolerance at home as well as terrorists overseas.

Royce, who recently helped sponsor legislation in the House of Representatives creating a "Radio Free Afghanistan," spoke at a hearing held by the full House International Relations Committee on the topic: "Al Qaeda and the Global Reach of Terrorism." He said, "Unfortunately we're seeing an upsurge of hate crimes associated with the terrorist attacks" in New York City and on the Pentagon building in nearby Arlington, Virginia that may have cost as many as 6,000 lives.

Noting that even in his own legislative district near Los Angeles people perceived to be Muslims or of Arab descent had been assaulted after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Royce said, "Those Americans who would be an unwitting tool of the terrorists seeking to destroy American freedom must be deterred, and apprehended if they act."

Royce echoed remarks President George Bush made when he visited the Mosque and Islamic Center of Washington D.C. just seven days after the terrorist attacks. Bush said, "The American people were appalled and outraged at last Tuesday's attacks. And so were Muslims all across the world. The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That's not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace.

"These terrorists don't represent peace," the President continued. "America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens, and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country. Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads [mothers and fathers.] And they need to be treated with respect. In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect."

Intolerance toward America, sparked by lies in the Afghan media controlled by the Taliban regime, is the target of "Radio Free Afghanistan" legislation that Royce introduced in the House on October 2. In a statement to the press Royce said, "horrible things are being said right now that are not being countered. There is a lot of anti-Semitic [jewish], anti-American, anti-Western hate radio being broadcast by the Taliban and Usama Bin Laden's organization. Radio Free Afghanistan is needed to broadcast the American ideals of democracy, liberty, and freedom to listeners in the region."

In his remarks before the International Relations Committee Royce said, "President Bush is undertaking a very complex war against terrorists. So far, so good, but this undertaking has really only begun. The American people need to take the President's words seriously: This will be a long campaign."

Representative Tom Lantos (Democrat of California) told the same hearing, "It is clear that we must wage the war against terrorism in a sequential fashion. First, we must find and destroy the terrorists that perpetrated the cowardly acts of September 11. In this regard, I urge the Administration to not only target Osama Bin Laden and his al-Qaeda organization, but the Taliban as well. The Taliban has chosen to side with terrorists, and in so doing, has chosen to share their fate."

President Bush made it clear the day after Royce and Lantos spoke that the U.S. campaign against Afghanistan's Taliban regime, which has refused to release suspected terrorist mastermind Usama Bin Laden, is not a war against the Afghan people. On October 4 Bush unveiled a new $320 million humanitarian aid package for Afghanistan at the State Department. He said its purpose was "to help the poor souls in Afghanistan."

Declaring, "Out of this evil [terrorism] I see will come good," the President said "through our tears we see an opportunity...to make the world a better place for generations to come."

Along the same lines, Representative Joseph Pitts (Republican of Pennsylvania) told the House International Relations panel the day before the Bush announcement, "It is essential that we respond to these terrorists and those that harbor them, offering sanctuary with precise and deliberate retribution. We will make it clear that America is a land of hope and freedom that does not tolerate evil and the destruction of innocents. We must be careful, however, to respond in a way that targets the enemy and makes every attempt to avoid harming the innocent people of Afghanistan who have already suffered for years under the tyrannical rule of the Taliban."

Pitts added, "It is essential that we gather cooperation of our foreign allies in combating these terrorist organizations on many fronts. I have been thankful for the many calls from Muslim friends in Muslim countries that are offering their condolences and commitment to help."

The lawmaker stressed, "We must help these allies realize that the help we need is much more than military and technical assistance. We need them to join with us in identifying and freezing [financial] assets. We need their support in combating the drug trafficking that has sometimes financed these organizations. It will also include working diplomatically to isolate the Taliban and demand they hand over Bin Laden. We need them to help us gain access to information regarding these terrorist enemies and their methods."

Ten days after the attacks, the House of Representatives began its efforts against terrorism by converting its Working Group on Terrorism and Homeland Security into a full subcommittee of the House Intelligence Committee. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, (Republican of Illinois) announced the change saying, it "will examine all aspects of these terrorist attacks, including the vulnerability of America's infrastructure and our counter-terrorism, preparedness and response capabilities."