Speech #980279918

This new program is both an acknowledgment of American responsibilities and a humanitarian undertaking on behalf of children subject to ostracism through no fault of their own. The second new proposed program within the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Orderly Departure Program from Vietnam will allow for the resettlement of political prisoners currently and previously confined in the reeducation camp prisons in Vietnam and their qualifying family members. According to Secretary Shultz. various spokesmen for the Communist regime in Vietnam have claimed they would be willing to release all of these political prisoners for resettlement. But despite 2 years of efforts to arrange for their departure under the UNHCRs Orderly Departure Program. the Vietnamese have released for resettlement only a handful of these persecuted people. The administrations proposed Political Prisoner Program has as its goal the departure from Vietnam of 10.000 of these current and former political prisoners for resettlement in the United States over the next 2 years. Representative WoLF and I have been given some insight into this issue through some of our constituents of Vietnamese origin who have banded together into an informal Action Committee for Vietnamese Political Prisoners. Its membership ranges from U.S. citizens who have been in America since before Saigon fell. to refugees who were in Communist concentration camps only months or even weeks ago. They tell a depressing story about the thousands held in the socalled reeducation camps. These prisoners are former junior officers in the military. school teachers and social workers. intellectuals and religious leaders whose sole offense is to have an opinion different from the Communists. The administration is pursuing humanitarian initiatives to provide some relief to those who seek to escape the Communist tyranny. Over the years. the U.S. refugee program has enjoyed broad bipartisan support with the resettlement of refugees drawing upon the idealism and dedication of Americans from all walks of life. As Secretary Shultz noted in his statement. the United States is recognized throughout the world for its leadership in humanitarian assistance to and protection of refugees. The Secretary also observed that while we have given much to help the refugees of the world. we have also benefited from the talents and hard work of the many refugees whom we have accepted for resettlement in the United States. Representative WoLF and I commend these proposed efforts to address the critical needs of the worlds refugees to our colleagues attention..