Speech #910310429

Congressional Record. I am taking the trouble to explain the position of this Agency and I shall be glad if you will. in publishing this. give it the same prominence in your publication as you gave to the original article. The function of UNRWAand the purpose for which it is entrusted with fundsis to provide relief. health. education and training services for the needy among the Palestine refugees registered with the Agency and to provide assistance as far as practicable for other persons in the area who are displaced and In need as a result of the June 1967 hostilities. This function is being carried out to the satisfaction of the United Nations General Assembly which. at its last session. again -expressed its thanks to the CommissionGeneral of UNRWA and his staff "for their continued faithful efforts to provide essential services for the Palestine refugees". UNRWA has always taken all possible measures to ensure that contributions of governments and of other donors are used exclusively for assistance to persons whose eligibility has been established and who are present in the area where they are registered and in need of that assistance. The criteria of eligibility have been defined in reports to the General Assembly. and the Agencys established administrative and budgetary practices and control mechanisms (including both internal and external audit) ensure that funds and supplies are safeguarded and that services and supplies are distributed only to persons previously determined to be eligible beneficiaries and identified as such at the point of distribution. Twothirds of UNRWAs expenditures go to provide schoolmilk and hot meals for children. education and health services. which can only be used or consumed by the immediate recipient. and there is no possibility of diversion to an unauthorized recipient before or after the assistance is provided. With regard to the monthly distribution of food commodities to refugee families. there is no evidence that supplies are subsequently transferred to military groups such as the Palestine Liberation Army or other similar organizations. and the Agency believes that Jedayeen in training have their food and other needs met by these organizations and consequently do not benefit from UNRWAs assistance. Since October 1969. the situation in refugee camps in Lebanon has been abnormal. In that armed men belonging to guerrilla organizations have been present and the Governments regular police and other staff have been absent. Arrangements for the governmental authorities to resume their normal responsibilities in these camps are still under discussion. Meanwhile. UNRWAs installations and services for the needy refugees in those camps. -which accommodate only half the registered refugee population In Lebanon. have not been interfered with. except in a few isolated cases. and UNRWAs assistance has not been diverted to other purposes. In east Jordan the number of fedayeen in the refugee camps has never reached the same proportions as in the camps in Lebanon in October/November 1969. and. so far as we know. no commando training has taken place within the boundaries of the refugee camps. The Jordan Government has continued to ezercise its responsibilities within the refugee camps and. as In Lebanon. there has been no interference with UNRWA operations. The circumstances under which UNRWA operates. which have always presented problems. have become much more difficult as the crisis in the Middle East has deepened and tensions have increased throughout the area. It is of the greatest Importance that the essential needs of the refugees--for relief services. for health protection and especlally for education and trainingcontinue to be met. both from the humanitarian aim of ensuring the physical survival and health of the refugees and preparation of the young for a useful future life. and also from the standpoint of avoiding a catastrophic worsening of conditions in the area. Consequently. the article "We Accuse UNRWA . . .". In attacking the integrity of UNRWAs operations and accusing UNRWA of the gravest malfeasance". is not only grossly misleading but constitutes a disservice to those who are working for a just settlement of the refugee problem In the context of a just and lasting peace in the Middle Eastthe very peace which your publication claims to be working to advance. Yours truly.