Speech #970018735

Mr. President. in Geneva this week U.N. Ambassador Kirkpatrick will represent the American people at a conference sponsored by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity on measures to increase the assistance given to African refugees. No one who has seen the condition of the African refugees. mostly women and children. can be unconcerned about their plight. Refugees in Africa pose a particularly difficult challenge to the international community. as many of the host nations are themselves quite poor and suffer from food shortages. An inadequate transportation network creates difficulties in delivering food from the outside to the refugees in time. and massive starvation has been avoided only through the extraordinary efforts and competence of the private voluntary organizations through which relief has been channeled. The origins of the African refugee crisis are varied. as are the solutions. The challenge before the international community is to provide for the basic human needs of the refugees while engaging in efforts to bring about the longterm political solutions that will enable the refugees to return home. With the independence of Zimbabwe. for example. refugees from the surrounding countries were able to return to their homes and begin to reconstruct their lives in peace. Congressmen JULIAN DIXON and JACK KEMP were joined by 141 other Members of the House of Representatives in introducing a resolution asking the President to designate April 9. the opening day of the conference. as "African Refugee Relief Day" and asking Americans to increase their voluntary contributions to the private voluntary organizations through whom much of the relief efforts have been channeled. My office has worked closely with the House sponsors. and I am pleased today to introduce an identical resolution in the Senate. This resolution is an important symbol to the world of American interest in African refugees. It is also a symbol of our appreciation of the dedicated and selfsacrificing efforts of the employees of the voluntary organizations. These men and women undertake. for only modest salaries. to work under the most difficult and unpleasant conditions in remote parts of Africa to provide for the needs of their fellow man.