President. within the last 24 hours. the alreadytense situation along the ThaiCambodian border has erupted into violence. Reports Indicate that Vietnamese forces have crossed the border along a 12mile stretch. and have engaged Thai forces with heavy casualties. They have also overrun encampments of Cambodian refugees. reportedly with numerous casualties there as well. If any further evidence were needed of the hollowness of the Vietnamese "concern" for the Cambodian people. this attack surely provides it. The hundreds of thousands of Cambodians who have been forced to flee their homes in Cambodia because of violence. disease. starvation. and hatred of the Vietnamese invaders are now innocent pawns of the Vietnamese in their attempt to punish the Thais and the U.N. agencies for their supposed aid and comfort to the enemies of Vietnam. They have been caught in the crossfire of a conflict which is not of their own making. and in which they want no part. And for the Thais. who have provided a sanctuary for those Cambodians who have been forced to flee Vietnamesecontrolled Cambodia. the Vietnamese invasion poses a serious threat. The Thais have not sought a border confrontation. but it has now been thrust upon them. and her friends now have an obligation to insure that Thailands humanitarian response to the refugee problem does not threaten to embroil her in a conflict which she has tried to avoid. Mr. President. these events impose important obligations on the United States and the rest of the international community. Last January. after returning from a visi t to the ThaiCambodian border. I proposed that the Congress iall upon the President to press the United Nations to establish an international presence in the refugee encampments along that border. Senator HAYAKAWA and I sponsored a resolution. which was approved by both Houses of Congress. urging that U.N. personnel be provided in order to promote security and stability in the refugee camps. and to make clear to all parties that U.N. acsistance was being Provided solely for humanitarian purposes. Regrettably. the U.N. has not seen fit to act on this proposal. which was first put (orward by the Thais almost a year ago. In light of the most recent developments. a stronger resnonse is now necessary. I call upon the Pre.ident and the Secretary of State to press thq United Nations. in the strongest possible terms. to take immediate action to stabilize the ThaiC.mbodian border region. I would urge the U.N. to establish a peacekeeping forcepreferably U.N. troops but at a minimum international obsrversto maintain order and to protect the lives of innocent and unarmed Cambodian refugees who for all practical purposes have become stateless persons. barred from their own country by an invadng force. And I call upon the Russians. whose economic and military aid enables Vietnam to continue Its occupation of Cambodia. to use whatever leverage they possess. to restrain the use of force by the Vietnamese. in the name of basic humanitarian decency. Finally.
Keywords matched
refugee refugees