Recommendations to Obama
 

December 30, 2008

To President Elect Obama and Secretary of State Designate Clinton:

With extensive experience in Indonesia, China, and South Africa working in the field of international mediation, we were encouraged by a member of the US State Department to write to you and your transition team concerning foreign affairs. We were compelled to reply to this request now by the tragic and immoral invasion of the Gaza Strip a few days ago.

We have just completed a productive two-year assignment as International Advisers to the first truth commission in the world between two independent nations, the Commission on Truth and Friendship between Indonesia and Timor Leste. In this process it became increasingly clear that the rift between the West and the Muslim world is clearly one of the greatest challenges facing your administration. Integral to any sustainable resolution is the delicate process of regaining the trust of the international community. Responding to the urgent need for fresh mediation in the Palestinian/Israel standoff, we urge you to seriously consider Indonesian President Yudhoyono and Vice President Kalla who lead the largest and most progressive democratic majority Muslim nation in the world.

We have just completed a productive two-year assignment as International Advisers to the first truth commission in the world between two independent nations, the Commission on Truth and Friendship between Indonesia and Timor Leste. In this process it became increasingly clear that the rift between the West and the Muslim world is clearly one of the greatest challenges facing your administration. Integral to any sustainable resolution is the delicate process of regaining the trust of the international community. Responding to the urgent need for fresh mediation in the Palestinian/Israel standoff, we urge you to seriously consider Indonesian President Yudhoyono and Vice President Kalla who lead the largest and most progressive democratic majority Muslim nation in the world.

Indonesia is obviously a nation in which you, Mr. President Elect, have a unique history and where Madame Secretary and the Clinton family are highly respected for post-tsunami contributions. We have served as advisers to national Indonesian leaders and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Law and Human Rights over the last decade. Our confidence in many of the leaders of this predominantly moderate Islamic nation has grown, and we believe they have the experience, integrity, commitment and potential to broker a sustainable peace in the Middle East. The previous approaches led by the US have fallen on hard times - even the creative initiatives of President Clinton.

This fresh approach needs to be Islamic based and endorsed by the new US administration. This approach is particularly relevant given international suspicions around the Quartet's roadmap and the Saudi Arabian proposal. Now is the moment for a truly innovative initiative as the US assumes a collaborative, bridging role in one of the most globally polarizing issues we face. Therefore, we recommend, Mr. President Elect, that you make your first international visit in Asia to Indonesia, with the ground prepared by the Secretary of State and for your goals to include exploration of this peace-building initiative.

In conclusion, we have explored with the Indonesian President and Vice President and several ministers the formation of two small - e.g., five each - informal interfaith advisory groups one from Indonesia and the other from the US. This independent, joint advisory body would advise the President, through the Secretary of State, on religious implications of foreign policy initiatives. We understand that a form of this Religious Advisory Council has operated between Indonesia and Great Britain to some considerable advantage to both administrations. Such an advisory council could be particularly useful in the demanding negotiations between Israel, Fata and Hamas.

If there are further questions about either of these recommendations, we can be contacted through our e-mail addresses or postal address. For additional information about our organization, our website is http://www.plowsharesinstitute.org/.

Sincerely,

Professors Bob and Alice Evans
Founding Directors, Plowshares Institute