Over the last few years. prior to Polands first free elections. tens of thousands of Poles fled the unsatisfactory human rights policies and political restrictions of the old regime. Thousands sought and obtained temporary asylum in Western Europe. including some 18.000 Polish refugees who registered with United States Embassies for an opportunity to be interviewed for our refugee admission program. Some of these asylum seekers are legitimately still reluctant to return to Poland. They have not yet seen any change in their hometown conditions or their local police and party officials. Others. however. after years in exile. see that conditions in Poland are beginning to change. and might soon be willing to return home. I want to be sure that there is nothing in this bill that would preclude using funds authorized by this legislation for internationally funded and monitored voluntary repatriation programs involving international organizations. like the Intergovernmental Committee for Migration. UNHCR. the International Catholic Migration Commission and local organizations In Poland including the Church. Such a program would plan and facilitate the return and reintegration of these refugees and would even seek to attract the return of some of the talent Poland needs.
Keywords matched
asylum seekers refugee refugees