I certainly would like to thank the minority leader of the subcommittee. as well as the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa. for rapidly addressing this issue and bringing forth this resolution which seeks to point out the tremendous violation of law that has taken place in Namibia as the result of the intervention of the apartheid nation of South Africa in the judiciary process. Mr. Speaker. when South African defense forces launched. in May 1978. a massive attack against the Cassinga Refugee Settlement some 150 miles inside Angola. more than 600 Namibian refugees. including women and children.were killed. The survivors of that bloody attack were detained and transported more than 500 miles and interned at a military camp near Marental. Namibia. where they have been held captive. without charge or trial. without access to family friends or council. and have suffered under severe and abusive conditions for over 6 years. House Concurrent Resolution 298 expresses our overriding humanitarian concern that South Africa release the more than 50 Cassinga refugees it now continues to hold. Passage of this resolution. which was unanimously reported by the Foreign Affairs Committee. will communicate this Congress. and indeed this Nations concern that South Africa accept and abide by internationally recognized standards which protect fundamental human rights. In March of this year. a court application seeking the release of the detainees was terminated when the South African Minister of Justice filed a certificate rescinding the courts jurisdiction to hear the application for the detainees release.
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Refugee refugees