[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 172 (Thursday, November 2, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        AN APPEAL OF CONSCIENCE

                                 ______


                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, November 1, 1995

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, the following advertisement by the Appeal of 
Conscience Foundation appeared in today's edition of the Washington 
Post. The foundation is presided over by Rabbi Arthur Schneier who is 
internationally known for his leadership on behalf of human rights and 
religious freedom. He has served our Government in many capacities 
including as a delegate to the United Nations, and his accomplishments 
have been recognized by several U.S. Presidents. Rabbi Schneirer's 
continuing work to involve religious leaders in the critical issues of 
our time deserves our strong support.
  I am calling the attention of my colleagues to today's appeal and I 
hope Americans of all religions will take time during their weekly 
worship to pray for peace in Bosnia, a country which has suffered a 
tragic war for nearly 4 years with enormous human suffering. 
Accordingly, I hereby insert the text of the letter of the Appeal of 
Conscience:

 An Appeal of Conscience to the Leaders of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia 
and Serbia to Work for Peace, and to See This Work as a Responsibility 
    Before History, Before Their Peoples, and Ultimately Before God

       True faith stands for peace. Whatever our differences, this 
     has been our common ground since the Appeal of Conscience 
     Foundation conferences in Bern, Istanbul and Vienna. The 
     declarations we adopted proclaim that ``a crime in the name 
     of religion is the greatest crime against religion.''
       This call elicited worldwide support from statesmen and 
     religious leaders of different faiths. Most recently, we 
     received messages from Presidents Izetbegovic of Bosnia-
     Herzegovina, Milosevic of Serbia and Tudjman of Croatia 
     encouraging our religious commitment to peace and search for 
     reconciliation.
       Today, we salute President Clinton for bringing together in 
     Dayton Ohio, the three Presidents in search of a peaceful 
     solution. On this day, we ask all men and women of goodwill 
     to pray that these leaders be granted the wisdom to find the 
     way to peace.
       Next Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in churches, synagogues 
     and mosques, let us pray that the people who have suffered 
     the agonies of war will be free to enjoy the peace that is 
     rightfully theirs.

     His Eminence Cardinal Franjo Kuharic,
              Archbishop of Zagreb, President of Catholic Bishops 
                                            Conference of Croatia.
     His Holiness Patriarch Pavle,
                        Patriarch of the Servbian Orthodox Church.
     His Excellency Dr. Mustafa Ceric,
                              Rais ul Ulema of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
     His Eminence Cardinal Vinko Puljic,
           Archbishop of Sarajevo, President of Catholic Bishops, 
                                 Conference of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
     Rabbi Arthur Schneier,
     President, Appeal of Conscience Foundation.

                          ____________________