President. probably no people in recent times have suffered more grievously than have the people of Bangladesh over the last 2 years. During the period of the last 2 years more than 1 million of them lost their lives in the cyclone that struck their southern coast. and then. shortly after that. they experienced some of the most dreadful violence that any have been subjected to in modem historya violence that caused some 10 million of their own to flee from Bangladesh into India. I had an opportunity to visit many of the refugee camps surrounding the borders of Bangladesh just about a year ago. and it was not extraordinary. during that time. to see hundreds of thousands of children less than 7 years of age dying from mass starvation. As a matter of fact. the best estimate was that there were some 10.000 or 12.000 children who died every day of malnutrition. That was about half the total number of such deaths during that period of time. So the people of Bangladesh have suffered grievously from violence and terrorism in their struggle for freedom. in their desire to effectuate the independence which they had secured at the ballot box. Now that peace has come to Bangladesh. the 10 million refugees have returned from India to Bangladesh. with some help and assistance from Indiafor rather than being a people who were willing to languish in refugee camps. where they could be assured of some food and shelter. they returned to their homes in a strikingly short period of time. to rebuild their lives and their homes and to seek a new life in the country which they loved. This effort by the United States of providing some $100 million. which would be the amount authorized if this amendment were successful. represents the U.S. share of participation in the humanitarian undertaking to permit those people to restore their lives and wellbeing. I think. quite frankly. it is a minimum figure.
Keywords matched
refugee refugees