PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE May 16, 2014 WASHINGTON UPDATE

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1 PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE May 16, 2014 WASHINGTON UPDATE Senate Apprpriatins Chairwman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) has prvided infrmal tpline numbers t the 12 apprpriatins subcmmittees t begin drafting their individual spending bills ahead f May 22, when the Senate Apprpriatins Cmmittee hlds its first full cmmittee markup. The markup is set t include apprval f the chairwman s 302(b) allcatins as well as the Military Cnstructin-VA and Agriculture apprpriatins bills. The Senate and Huse Agriculture Subcmmittees will bth mark up their Agriculture apprpriatins bills n Tuesday. Mikulski has yet t specifically say hw she will address the $4.3 billin in cuts that must be applied t the verall budget, but she has said that she will spread the cuts acrss a brader number f subcmmittees. This $4.3 billin difference between the Office f Management and Budget and the Cngressinal Budget Office is due t hw gvernment earnings frm Federal Husing Administratin-insured mrtgages are accunted fr. Senate Republicans have expressed cncerns abut hw Mikulski is handling the cuts, and Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL) is currently discussing alternative ways t manage the cuts with Mikulski. UPCOMING HEARINGS Hearing: Subcmmittee Markup FY 2015 Agricultural Apprpriatins Bill Cmmittee: Huse Apprpriatins Subcmmittee n Agriculture, Rural Develpment, Fd and Drug Administratin, and Related Agencies When: Tuesday, May 20, 10:00am Where: Huse Rayburn 2362-A Hearing: Agriculture Subcmmittee Markup Cmmittee: Senate Apprpriatins Subcmmittee n Agriculture, Rural Develpment, Fd and Drug Administratin, and Related Agencies When: Tuesday, May 20, 3:00pm Where: Senate Dirksen SD-192 Hearing: Bk Haram: The Grwing Threat t Schlgirls, Nigeria, and Beynd Cmmittee: Huse Freign Affairs Cmmittee Witnesses: Sarah Sewall, Under Secretary fr Civilian Security, Demcracy, and Human Rights, U.S. Department f State Amanda Dry, Deputy Assistant Secretary f Defense fr African Affairs, U.S. Department f Defense When: Wednesday, May 21, 10:00am Where: Huse Rayburn 2172 Hearing: The Humanitarian Crisis in Syria: Views frm the Grund Cmmittee: Huse Freign Affairs Subcmmittee n the Middle East and Nrth Africa Witnesses: 1

2 Andrea Kppel, Vice President f Glbal Engagement and Plicy, Mercy Crps Hlly Slberg, Directr f Emergency and Humanitarian Assistance, CARE Michael Hlsten, Senir Vice President, Office f Internatinal Operatins, Glbal Cmmunities Zaher Sahlul, President, Syrian American Medical Sciety Bernice Rmer, Senir Directr f Plicy and Advcacy, Save the Children When: Wednesday, May 21, 2:00pm Where: Huse Rayburn 2172 Hearing: The Escalating Internatinal Wildlife Trafficking Crisis: Eclgical, Ecnmical and Natinal Security Issues Cmmittee: Senate Freign Relatins Subcmmittees n African Affairs and East Asian and Pacific Affairs Witnesses: Judith Garber, Acting Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department f State Bureau f Oceans and Internatinal Envirnmental and Scientific Affairs Daniel Ashe, Directr, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Eric Pstel, Assistant Administratr, U.S. Agency fr Internatinal Develpment Bureau f Ecnmic Grwth, Educatin And Envirnment Brke Darby, Deputy Assistant, U.S Department f State Bureau f Internatinal Narctics And Law When: Wednesday, May 21, 2:15pm Where: Senate Dirksen 419 Hearing: Prtecting Religius Freedm: U.S. Effrts t Hld Accuntable Cuntries f Particular Cncern Cmmittee: Huse Freign Affairs Subcmmittee n Africa, Glbal Health, Glbal Human Rights, and Internatinal Organizatins Witnesse: Rbert Gerge, Chairman, U.S. Cmmissin n Internatinal Religius Freedm When: Thursday, May 22, 10:00am Where: Huse Rayburn 2200 HEARING SUMMARIES Witnesses: Panel 1 #BringBackOurGirls: Addressing the Threat f Bk Haram Senate Cmmittee n Freign Relatins Subcmmittee n African Affairs May 15, 2014 Rbert Jacksn, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary f State fr African Affairs, Department f State Earl Gast, Assistant Administratr Fr African Affairs, U.S. Agency fr Internatinal Develpment Alice Friend, Principal Directr Fr African Affairs, Department f Defense 2

3 Panel 2 Lantana Abdullahi, Prject Manager, Search fr Cmmn Grund Opening Statements: Chairman Chris Cns (D-DE): One mnth ag tday almst 300 girls were taken t be used, sld, and cnverted t Islam. Nigerian gvernment did nthing t prtect the girls. Unacceptable that a single child wuld have t g thrugh this. This is nt the nly place Bk Haram has caused unrest and prmted terrrism. Over 4,000 peple killed in the last 3 years. Nigeria is hme t Bk Haram, which is translated t Western educatin is sinful. The respnse f the internatinal cmmunity t this atrcity is imprtant, but it must start with the Nigerian gvernment. The American public has been utraged as #BringBackOurGirls has been trending thrugh mst scial media. Every day the likelihd f the girls cming hme decreases. It has taken t lng t get assistance n the grund in Nigeria t address the particular issues and, mre generally, the threat psed by Bk Haram. Ranking Member Jeff Flake (R-AZ): This is an imprtant issue that must be addressed t ensure the safe return f the Nigerian girls. Chairman Rbert Menendez (D-NJ): Everyne is appalled by Bk Haram, and especially by the fact that acts like this are happening in the twenty-first century. Wmen and girls all arund the wrld shuld be safe frm extremism. Bk Haram is nt a new threat. The Nigerian gvernment s respnse has been slw and generally inadequate. Call n Nigerian President Jnathan t lead his cuntry in this critical time. Nigeria has a lng histry f tensin and divisin, especially alng ethnic lines. Recrds f human rights abuses by the Nigerian military. The issue f wmen s safety is imprtant and shuld be elevated. Rbert Jacksn: The attack n the schlgirls is a part f a lng, terrible trend. Over 1,000 peple have been killed since January 2014 due t Bk Haram. Nigerian citizenry has learned t be afraid f Bk Haram. We are helping t cultivate best plicies in rder t mitigate the risk f future kidnappings. Partnering with the United Kingdm and France. A peaceful and safe Nigeria is crucial t central Africa. We can accmplish this gal thrugh reginal crdinatin. Islating Bk Haram is nw a pririty. Reward fr Justice prgram has been issued fr Bk Haram leaders, wrth up t $7 millin. We are urging Nigeria t change its apprach. Respnse must be mre than just the use f frce. 3

4 Refrm tward greater representatin f different ethnic grups in the gvernment. Nigeria s cnflict with Bk Haram will nt end when the girls are returned. It is crucial that we help Nigeria develp strategies fr the future. Earl Gast: This cnflict has caused fd insecurity fr many Nigerians and has hurt the Nigerian ecnmy. Currently, there are 4.2 millin peple threated by fd insecurity in Nigeria. If these trends cntinue then Nigeria will sn becme the cuntry with the biggest percentage f its ppulatin living in extreme pverty. Vilence has displaced many peple as they escape t nearby cuntries. 70% f the displaced are wmen and children. The U.S. team is meeting with state and lcal fficials t accunt fr refugees and their needs, as well as evaluating their fd needs. Assistance has been based arund fd, water, and prgrams addressing gender-based vilence. Attacks such as the kidnapping f the girls undermine the already precarius state f the educatin system in Nrth Nigeria. We have enacted the USAID mitigatin prgram. Alice Friend: State Department has sent a team f experts t Nigeria. Department f Defense (DD) has prvided 4 additinal experts, in additin t the 10 fficials already wrking in the American embassy in Nigeria. In ttal, ver 16 DD persnnel have been sent. These kidnappings are nly the mst recent, they are nt new. We are cncerned with the Nigerian gvernment s slw respnse t the kidnappings and the general peratins f Bk Haram. We d nt prvide military assistance when we have knwledge f prir human rights vilatins by a certain military frce, as is the case in Nigeria. Nigerians must display an adequate respnse. We are still gathering infrmatin pertaining t hw and where the girls were transprted. Questining: Chairman Chris Cns (D-DE): 1. When did yur agency make the first ffer f assistance? Rbert Jacksn Secretary Kerry called President Jnathan 2 weeks ag and ffered ur assistance in intelligence cllectin. Earl Gast The American embassy in Nigeria and USAID declared a state f emergency regarding this case as sn as the news brke ut. Alice Friend After the initial ffer in assisting the Nigerian gvernment, they accepted n May 4 th and peratins began n May 9 th. 2. Why did it take s lng fr the frmal designatin f Bk Haram as a terrrist grup? Why was there n unanimity in naming the entire rganizatin as a terrrist grup, and nt just certain leaders? Hw is Bk Haram s funding being undercut? 4

5 Rbert Jacksn The debate centered arund the Nigerian attitude tward Bk Haram. Nigeria just recently appealed t the United Natins t label Bk Haram as a terrrist rganizatin. We did nt want Bk Haram t gain publicity. 3. What srt f challenges have yu fund? Earl Gast Access t certain areas is limited, althugh we have tw units wrking n identifying areas f pssible access where assistance can be implemented. 4. Wmen all arund the wrld cntinue t risk their safety as they seek an educatin. Explain the decline in funding that wuld address this prblem. Hw will yu cntinue t stimulate educatin access? Earl Gast Educatin has always been at the center f ur budget. We had t adjust due t access issues which make it difficult t execute ur prgrams. 5. Describe the current cunterterrrism effrts that are taking place, especially in crdinatin with neighbring cuntries. Alice Friend Pre-training prgrams have begun, hwever, there are persistent and challenging prblems. We are urging the Nigerian gvernment t have a mre hlistic apprach t Bk Haram which des nt slely fcus n military strategy. We are in a cnstant dialgue with Nigeria s neighbrs abut Bk Haram. The brder between Camern and Nigeria cntinues t be a majr prblem area, especially in regards t the safety f girls and wmen. Ranking Member Jeff Flake (R-AZ): 6. What restrictins are we under? Alice Friend: We cannt supprt any unit that has had human rights vilatins, such as the Nigerian military. Therefre, we need t lcate a unit that we can wrk with. We are hesitant in sharing intelligence with Nigerians because f their difficult recrd. 7. Is there a prblem with the military in that sme are Bk Haram sympathizers? Alice Friend: That is f sme cncern, in additin t the gvernment s inadequacy in respnding. Bk Haram is exceptinally brutal and has lts f resurces. The military is afraid f engaging with Bk Haram. We need t make the military feel mre cmpetent. 8. What is the relatinship between the plitical institutins f Nigeria and the military? Is there a pssibility f a cup? Alice Friend: The relatinship is healthy and a cup is nt a cncern. 5

6 9. There is a histry f bys being taken by Bk Haram as recruits and girls are turned int sex slaves. Why were we nt aware that smething f this magnitude was ging t happen? Earl Gast: We were aware, but access is limited s there was nt much we culd have dne. We wrk with sme lcal rganizatins that can help, but their capacity t respnd is als limited. 10. What abut the State Department? We are very aware f the issues; we have witnessed the kidnappings f French citizens by Bk Haram. They are cpying the Lrd Resistance Army s peratins in Uganda. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH): 11. There is an increasing glbal trend f sex trafficking. We need t d a better jb, as articulated in the Internatinal Vilence Against Wmen Act. T what extent has Nigeria accepted internatinal ffers f help? We have a fusin cell in Nigeria where the United States and United Kingdm share intelligence. We are als in tuch, t a lesser extent, with the Israelis and the Chinese. 12. Have any Muslim cuntries ffered assistance? Sme Muslim cuntries have spken ut. Chad and Niger have ffered assistance. 13. In what way have these Muslim cuntries spken ut? They have spken ut in cndemnatin and have made it a pint t articulate that this behavir is nt representative f Islam. 14. What mre can we d t address the generally unsafe and threatening predicament f wmen in Nigeria? Earl Gast: Develpment indicatrs between nrth and suth Nigeria have shwn that it is like lking at tw different cuntries. We can help in ffering teacher training in the nrth. The biggest prblem cntinues t be security s it is difficult t encurage girls t g t schl if they are at risk. We are advcating fr educatin at hme. We are wrking f the Saving One Millin Lives gvernment prgram. 15. D we expect the Department f State r the Department f Defense t ask fr additinal funding? We will have t see as ur prgrams prgress. Sen. Marc Rubi (R-FL): 16. Is the prime gal f Bk Haram t deny wmen f an educatin? 6

7 Rbert Jacksn: The primary gal is t raise funds fr their cause, althugh denying an educatin t wmen is als at the frefrnt. 17. I believe that it is anti-christian attitude that is leading this mvement, and that it is nt just abut raising funds. Am I wrng? Mre Muslims have died due t Bk Haram s peratins than Christians. 18. S is religius prsecutin f Christians and anti-christianity a mtivatr? Yes, it is a mtivatr. Hwever, this is nt a Muslim philsphy. 19. I did nt say that it is a Muslim philsphy; it is certainly a radical ne. But this represents a strng anti-christian sentiment. I d nt disagree, but it is imprtant t nte that Bk Haram terrrizes all peple. 20. Yes, but wuld yu say that anti-christianity is a key cmpnent? It is imprtant t recgnize that 15% f girls taken hstage were Muslim. 21. This is hrrifying all arund, but we cannt cntinue t ignre that prsecutin f Christians that is being prliferated thrugh extremism. Was it a mistake nt labeling Bk Haram as a terrrist rganizatin earlier? It is imprtant that we have dne it nw. 22. Perhaps in the future we shuld nt rely s heavily n a freign gvernment s pinin in such matters. Wuld yu say there is a lessn t be learned here? Yes, there is a lessn. 23. What d we knw abut Bk Haram s plans utside f the brders f Nigeria? Especially tward the Western Wrld? Are there links between Bk Haram and Al-Qaeda, especially since many have cncluded that the decentralizatin f Al-Qaeda has led t the uprising f such grups as Bk Haram? Yes, there are links between Bk Haram and Al-Qaeda. Bk Haram has already kidnapped French and Canadian citizens. Bk Haram is increasingly becming an internatinal threat. 24. Is this anther example f the different challenges psed by the decentralizatin f Al-Qaeda? Yes. Chairman Rbert Menendez (D-NJ): 25. It was my understanding that Nigeria was nt cperating with labeling Bk Haram as a terrrist rganizatin? 7

8 At first they were hesitant, but just recently they have been in cnsultatins. 26. What des it mean that they have been in cnsultatins? Are they mving frward with designatin? Yes, the Nigerians will wrk with us and the Security Cuncil. 27. What is yur level f cnfidence that the Nigerian gvernment has plitical will t address this issue? Plitical will exists nw, especially after the internatinal attentin this has been receiving. President Jnathan travelled t meet with the families f the kidnapped girls. Alice Friend: The Nigerian military has really been cperating and allwing us access, especially after the scial media campaign. 28. At what capacity are they allwing yu access? Because we are spending a lt f mney n this. Alice Friend: I am nt sure f hw; cannt islate particular military actin. 29. Here s my prblem if we identify where the girls are, hw can we knw that the Nigerian gvernment will have the capacity and will t actually bring them hme? Alice Friend: Nt sure. 30. I need yu t g back and present the cmmittee with infrmatin n a rescue missin that shws Nigerian capability f executing a plan. I want the State Department s assessment f hw such a prgram wuld be run by the Nigerian gvernment. Alice Friend: I will be happy t gather that infrmatin. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) 31. This is a matter f urgency. It is nt just a U.S. interest, but a humanitarian glbal interest. What can yu tell us abut the situatin? Lantana Abdullahi: A whle generatin f Nigerians is at risk because f Bk Haram. This is a ply t pit Muslims and Christians against each ther. Nigerians are frustrated with bad gvernance, crruptin, and impunity in the gvernment. It is imprtant that we ensure lasting peace fr Nigeria. It is crucial that the apprach t slving this prblem is reginal and that human rights abuses are mnitred and prevented. Chairman Chris Cns (D-DE): 32. Hw has Bk Haram affected yu? Lantana Abdullahi: 8

9 As a Muslim, I am threatened by Bk Haram as they d nt represent Islam r Muslims in Nigeria. Bk Haram has plagued nrthern Nigeria with its terrrist activities. 33. Americans have shwn their utrage ver Bk Haram s activities, what message d yu have fr us? Lantana Abdullahi: We acknwledge yur help. Nn-military supprt that is cmmunity-driven is needed. We are suffering frm little t n media and a weak civil sciety presence. 34. What ther initiatives has yur rganizatin taken? What steps have yu taken? Lantana Abdullahi: My rganizatin is innvative we bring ethnic grups tgether. We fster lcal initiatives. Ranking Member Jeff Flake (R-AZ): 35. Have there been effective gvernment initiatives t reduce the attractiveness f Bk Haram? Lantana Abdullahi: The gvernment lacks a lt f capacity and des nt seem t be prepared. S far, they have nly been using a military ffensive which des nt tackle the prblem at its rts. 36. We were struck by hw slw the reactin was f the Nigerian gvernment. Are they nw nly acting due t internatinal pressure? Lantana Abdullahi: Yes, they were very slw and at first skeptical f appraching the issue. Chairman Chris Cns (D-DE): 37. D yu have any clsing statements? Lantana Abdullahi: We have an extremely weak civil sciety presence and need a lt f supprt. 9