Mark D. Siljander
Mark Deli Siljander is a former Republican U.S. Congressman from the state of Michigan and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He is the author of A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman's Quest to Bridge the Muslim-Christian Divide, published by HarperCollins. It was an Amazon best seller and won the 2009 Silver Nautilus Award. Siljander recounts his journey of discovery and transformation starting as a young Evangelical and Cold War-era Hawk to eventually become a trailblazing peacemaker, both pre and post-9/11, especially between Muslims and Christians in countries such as Libya, Iraq, Sudan and the Central African Republic, among others. His book, which chronicles these quiet peacemaking efforts, was endorsed by a diverse group of political and religious leaders including the then sitting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, U.S. Secretary of State James Baker, U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese, Democrats and Republicans alike including Congressman and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Tony Hall and an Iranian Ayatollah, Dr. Ahmad Iravani. Former Secretary of State James Baker endorsed Siljander's book saying that it was "a blueprint for breaking this logjam of dissension that contributes to so much conflict today."
Early life, education, and early career
Siljander was born in Chicago, Illinois, where he attended the public schools, having graduated in 1969 from Oak Park and River Forest High School. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1972 and a Master of Arts from Western Michigan in 1973. He served as a trustee on Fabius Township Board in St. Joseph County, Michigan, from 1972 to 1976 and also worked as a real estate broker. Mark Siljander married Nancy Claire on December 11, 1983 and they now have four adult children: Elizabeth, Laura, Allison and Mark. Mark and his wife of over 36 years are now residents of North Carolina since 2013.U.S. House of Representatives
Siljander served as a U.S. Representative from the Michigan's 4th congressional district from April 21, 1981 - January 3, 1987. He served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.Siljander was known as a dogmatic social conservative. Time characterized him as a Fundamentalist Christian and reported on Siljander's election:
"I'm part of the silent majority that was heard Nov. 4 ," says Siljander. "My support comes from morally concerned citizens who are sick of the situation in this country." Siljander pledges to battle the Equal Rights Amendment, pornography, abortion, school busing and "big spending." He will champion the neutron bomb, the MX missile and prayer in public schools.
;1981
On January 27, 1981, incumbent Republican Party U.S. Congressman David A. Stockman from Michigan's 4th District resigned to become President Reagan's Director of the Office of Management and Budget. In the following special Republican primary, Siljander ranked first in a seven candidate field with a plurality of 37%. He defeated Stockman-endorsed tax attorney John Globensky and State Senator John Mowat. In the April 1981 special general election, he defeated Democratic Cass County Commissioner Johnie Rodebush 69%-29%.
The Siljander Amendment
In 2019, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the Trump Administration would be fully enforcing the Siljander Amendment. In 1981, Representative Mark Siljander introduced an amendment to the FY1982 Foreign Assistance and Related Programs Appropriations Act specifying that no U.S. funds may be used to lobby for abortion. Since the Siljander amendment was first introduced, Congress has modified the amendment to state that no funds may be used to “lobby for or against abortion” The Siljander amendment has been included in annual foreign operations appropriations acts. It applies to all programs and activities appropriated under such acts. Most recently, the FY2019 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Act states that “none of the funds made available under this Act may be used to lobby for or against abortion.”
;1982
Siljander was challenged in the next Republican primary by attorney Harold Schuitmaker and defeated him 56%-44%. In the general election, he won re-election to a full term with 60% of the vote.
;1984
Siljander travelled with Christian Watch International to Romania in response to the growing concerns over religious minority persecution.
Siljander was challenged again in the Republican primary, and defeated Tim Horan 58%-42%. In the general election, he won re-election to a second full term with 67% of the vote.
In 1984, Siljander sponsored a single-sentence amendment which read, "For the purposes of this Act, the term 'person' shall include unborn children from the moment of conception." Alexander Cockburn referred to the Siljander Amendment as "the most far-reaching of all the measures dreamed up by the conservative right to undercut Roe v. Wade." It failed 186-219.
In 1985, Siljander proposed legislation which would deny Most Favored Nation status to countries that discriminate on cultural, ethnic or religious grounds.
;1986
Once again Siljander was challenged in the Republican primary, this time by Fred Upton, a staffer to Stockman. Upton defeated Siljander 55%-45%.
Legislation
H.Con.Res.262 - 97th Congress, Sponsor : "A concurrent resolution regarding the use of chemical weapons by the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, Laos, and Cambodia." Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should demand compliance by the Soviet Union with existing treaties on chemical warfare as a prerequisite for starting the Geneva arms talks.H.R.6325 - 97th Congress, Sponsor : "Housing and Automobile Industries Recovery Act of 1982".
H.R. 4985 - 97th Congress, Sponsor : "Comprehensive AFDC Improvement Act of 1981-Part I"
H.J. Res. 279 - 98th Congress, Sponsor : "A joint resolution expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the reduction of emigration from the Soviet Union." Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should urge Soviet compliance with the Helsinki accords and the United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights at the U.N. General Assembly and at all other appropriate international meetings as they relate to the emigration of Soviet Jews.
H. Res. 147 - 98th Congress, Sponsor : "A resolution concerning observance by the Government of Romania of the Human Rights of the Hungarians in Transylvania, especially the right of self-determination." Declares that the House of Representatives deplores the denial of the rights of Hungarians and people of other nationalities in Transylvania by the Romanian Government. Requests the President and the Secretary of State to discuss the human rights of the Hungarians in Transylvania with the Government of Romania.
H.R.4157 - 99th Congress, Sponsor : "Child Abuse Victims Rights Act of 1986"
Child Abuse Victims Rights Act of 1986 - Amends the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute to extend its coverage to the sexual exploitation of children.
Authorizes a civil suit for treble damages for any persons injured personally or in their business or property by violations of RICO relating to the sexual exploitation of children.
Amends the Federal criminal code to provide a mandatory life sentence for any person who kidnaps an individual under the age of 18. Imposes the death penalty in any case where such victim dies as a result of the kidnapping
Increases the penalties for offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children. Provides for a mandatory minimum sentence for second offenders.
Extends the statute of limitations for certain offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children.
Requires the Attorney General, within one year, to submit a report to the Congress recommending possible changes in the Federal Rules of Evidence, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and other courtroom prosecutorial and investigative procedures which would facilitate the participation of child witnesses in cases involving child abuse and sexual exploitation.
Specifies a list of considerations including: the use of closed-circuit cameras, two-way mirrors, and other out-of-court statements; the use of judicial discretion to circumscribe the use of harassment or confusing questions; the use of videotape in investigations; the possibility of streamlining investigative procedures; and improved training of prosecutorial and investigative staff in the special problems of child witnesses.
Requires the Attorney General to modify the classification system used by the National Crime Information Center in its Interstate Identification Index, and by the Identification Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with respect to offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children, to include the age of the victim and the relationship of the victim to the offender. Requires such classification to use a uniform definition of a child.
Post-congressional career
Political career
Siljander was appointed by President Reagan as an Ambassador to the United Nations General Assembly, serving from September 1987 to September 1988. He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1992 for nomination to the 103rd Congress from Virginia. He stated then his message was, "not religious values as much as it's common-sense American traditional values." He campaigned on a budget freeze, a ten percent flat tax and a line-item veto. In the Republican primary, Siljander came in second to Henry N. Butler, a law professor at George Mason University.Private career
Siljander is president and founder of "Bridges to Common Ground" an NGO dedicated to promoting peace and understanding, with a specific agenda of undermining the ideology and causes of radicalism and conflict by bridging the divide among the faiths. The foundation of this non-profit work can be cited in Siljander’s research which incorporates the Semitic languages of the Abrahamic faiths as a tool for discovering new religious common ground. Siljander has pioneered a unique methodology of study, asserting that the Aramaic heart language of Jesus found in the New Testament Peshitta can be constructive in dealing with theological disagreements by comparing it to the Arabic of the Qur’an and the Hebrew of the Old Testament. Many of these discoveries are outlined in Siljander's book, A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman's Quest to Bridge the Muslim-Christian Divide which was endorsed by a diverse group of scholars including Dr. Sidney H. Griffith, Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Dr. Ergun Caner and Dr. Yasir Suleiman and has a foreword written by the then sitting UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, with whom Siljander worked closely to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.In November 2006, Siljander gave a speech at Regent's Park College, Oxford, entitled "Overcoming the Muslim/Western Divide: Seven Bridges to the Common Ground." Siljander has studied Aramaic, Arabic and Hebrew languages, and was affiliated academically with the Edinburgh Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies.
Siljander is president and founder of "Trac5" an NGO dedicated to incorporating a spiritually based "5th-track" of faith-based engagement to augment the existing political, diplomatic, military and economic tracks used to resolve conflict, persecution and humanitarian crises. The peacemaking track record of this non-profit asserts to have successfully intervened and contributed to the cessation of seven conflicts in Africa including, most notably, the Darfur crisis, and cites sources such as Andrew Natsios and Ali Ahmed Karti, among others. Siljander and his associates have also contributed to the release of dozens of political hostages and prisoners of conscience in countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, Iran and the Central African Republic.
Peacemaking efforts
LibyaIn 1999, Siljander travelled to Libya to meet with Muammar Gaddafi and his regime upon the recommendation and introduction made by President Mathieu Kérékou of Benin. Siljander met with the Foreign Minister Umar Mustafa al-Muntasir in the spirit of friendship to pray and discuss the common ground shared in the Bible and the Qur'an. Siljander, having been a sitting member of Congressman during the 1986 United States bombing of Libya which purportedly killed Gaddafi' daughter, felt inspired to apologize for killing Hana Gaddafi. This act notably changed the tone of this first meeting which concluded with the implication that Gaddafi would promptly extradite the long-sought Libyan suspects of Pan Am Flight 103, a terrorist attack which killed 270 people over Lockerbie, Scotland. The terror bombing suspects were handed over to be tried for their crimes 10 days later and Muammar Gaddafi took responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and paid compensation to the victims' families in 2003. In 1999, Siljander helped to initiate and contribute to a rapprochement between Libya and the U.S., a process which he quietly continued through 2003 by engaging diplomats such as Ali Treki. On May 15, 2006 The U.S. State Department announced that it would finally restore full diplomatic relations with Libya.
Sudan
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Siljander, continuing his peacemaking efforts abroad, began engaging President Omar al-Bashir in the wake of the Second Sudanese Civil War. This relationship and prayer partnership between Siljander and Bashir continued as the War in Darfur began emerging. During one of their many meetings, President Bashir is reported to have asked Siljander, "What should I do about Darfur?" Bashir had previously declared he would not allow UN Peacekeepers to be deployed in Darfur and rejected the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1706. However, Siljander is attributed to having proposed the ultimate solution of a hybrid African Union and United Nations peacekeeping force. Siljander then worked with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to draft United Nations Security Council Resolution 1769 which was accepted by Sudan, and helped to end the genocide.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Karti, in a video testimony, stated:
Andrew Natsios, the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan, in a publicly available letter to Siljander dated October 21, 2007 is quoted as saying:
In 2017, Siljander travelled to Sudan on behalf of an NGO "Hardwired" and its founder Tina Ramirez in response to a growing concern over Christian prisoner Petr Jasek. Petr Jasek was subsequently released, given a pardon by President Omar al-Bashir. Two Christian pastors Hassan Abduraheem Kodi Taour and Abdulmonem Abdumawla were also later released from prison.
Tina Ramirez in a press release stated:
Congressman Trent Franks in a press conference stated:
Author and independent filmmaker Aaron Daniel Taylor accompanied Siljander during his 2017 trip, documenting video testimonies from Ali Karti, among others, and is quoted as saying:
Central African Republic
In 2015, Siljander travelled to the Central African Republic to pray with the transitional government including President Catherine Samba-Panza and also assist in peace negotiations between the warring Anti-Balaka and Seleka militia groups. During his first trip, leaders of the Anti-Balaka gave video testimony after meeting with Siljander, indicating that his message of peace inspired the militia group to release several hostages and child-soldiers including Claudia Priest, and also come to the peace table. Months later, Siljander returned to participate in the Bangui National Forum which netted a largely successful peace treaty and the release of child-soldiers held by the warring militia groups.
Legal history
On January 16, 2008, Siljander was indicted in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri on five counts including money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice. On January 28, 2008, Siljander pleaded not guilty in Federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.Most of the original charges were dropped, and on July 7, 2010 Siljander pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered foreign agent and obstruction of justice related to statements that he made to investigators about the alleged lobbying. The basis for these charges was Siljander's non-profit receipt of a $50,000 donation from the Islamic American Relief Agency which, at the time, was still in good standing with the IRS and not yet designated on OFAC's SDGT list. It was later discovered that IARA violated U.S. sanctions by sending money to Iraq, purportedly as part of their charitable operations.
Siljander asserted to investigators that this contribution was used to support his own non-profit research and to help publish his then upcoming book on the subject of Muslim-Christian relations. Siljander further asserted that he, instead of lobbying, referred Robert P. Hanrahan, a registered lobbyist who did in fact legally represent IARA, a claim which is supported by Robert Hanrahan's affidavit and DOJ records. However, the government claimed that this was not a legitimate donation, implying that Siljander had instead used the funds as a quid pro quo to lobby for the U.S. based charity.
On January 12, 2012, Siljander was sentenced to a year and a day in prison which, with good behavior, effectively equates to four to five months of actual time served. He turned himself in on March 10, 2012 to Federal Correctional Institution, Petersburg. Despite his short sentence and the nature of his charges, Siljander was originally assigned to the medium security prison, not a camp. He was soon transferred to the low security facility which typically housed violent offenders and pedophiles with a 10-year sentence or less remaining to be served.
Weeks before his scheduled release, Siljander was diagnosed with a rare terminal cancer called Rhabdoid Sarcoma and was expected to die in three months or less. Having no health insurance and prior to the Affordable Care Act passage, Siljander voluntarily doubled his prison sentence and was transferred to the maximum security facility at Federal Medical Center, Butner. After a round surgery and radiation, Siljander was released from prison on December 20, 2012 to be reunited with his family for the holidays. He has been cancer-free for 7 years, and according to doctors at Duke University Hospital and consulting doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Siljander may be one of the only adults to survive this rare form of cancer.
False claims
The language used by federal prosecutors in the press conference announcing Siljander's indictment prompted global headlines which mischaracterised Siljander as having associations to terrorism and terror funding. Clarifying the record, however, the presiding Judge Nanette Laughrey is quoted during sentencing saying: "But the truth is, when you look at this objectively, this is not a case about aiding a terrorist, it just isn't..."Also, under the government's own headline, "Terrorism and National Security", the Justice Department included the Siljander guilty plea as one of their two announced successes against terrorism. The inflammatory and misleading January 2008 press conference provoked a firestorm of fallacious media reporting that continued through 2013.
The day following the initial press conference, the Justice Department's Press Release corrected the "terrorism" statements by stating, "It is important to note that the indictment does not charge any of the defendants with material support of terrorism, nor does it allege that they knowingly financed acts of terror." It went largely unreported.
Response from Siljander
Upon his release from prison, Siljander publicly protested his innocence, and claimed that two Muslim co-defendants had been induced to give false testimony against him in exchange for immunity from prosecution.Siljander's open letter to his newsletter subscribers was quoted in full in several venues, and contains the following narrative: