Speech #990015372

Mr. Speaker. I rise to express my deep concern for the plight of the Afghan refugee population. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva was absolutely correct in a recent report which stated that the war being waged against innocent civilians by the U.S.S.R. is in "gross violation of human rights." Because of poor medical attention and facilities. the direct consequence of a Soviet Army gunshot wound is usually death. The United States simply cannot allow thousands of innocent men. women. and children to continue to die. There are over 3 million Afghans who have sought refuge and medical care inside Pakistan. The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan. in conjunction with the Pakistan Commission for Refugees. operates 12 medical clinics in Afghan war zones. The population inside Afghanistan requires more medical services of this type from the West if we are to pay more lip service to human rights needs in that wartorn country. I commend the Swedish Governments assistance effort. and strongly urge similar initiatives to provide additional health and paramedical training to help Afghan civilians. The American people should do everything in their power to help these refugees in their search for adequate health care. and should condemn Soviet attempts to spread misery to every corner of Afghanistan. I would like to submit the following article for insertion in the CONGRES-