Speech #1010177473

President. I wish to voice my growing dismay at actions taken by the Government of Turkey with regard to 30.000 Iraqi Kurdish i efugees living in southeast Turkey. These unfortunate people have already suffered enormously at the hands of Iraqis ruler Saddam Husayn. who gassed them. murdered them. and deported those who survived far from their destroyed homes and villages. Because these outrages received little attention by the media. few outside the Kurdish community realize what Is occurring in this relatively inaccessible region. Unfortunately. this abhorrent behavior. an affront to all humanity. continues because the United States and other Western nations refuse. or are unable to pressure the despotic Iraqi regime. After thousands of Kurds were massacred by Iraqi troops. tens of thousands of survivors fled and sought refuge in Turkey. Here. however. they encountered an entirely new set of problems. The Government of Turkey refused to recognize them as refugees. referring to them as "temporary visitors." As such. they were made ineligible for certain forms of humanitarian assistance. Three years later. these temporary visitors still reside in camps in southeastern Turkey. and the Turkish Government persists in its attempts to make their stay temporary and difficult. Last August. Senator LAUTENBERG and I visited one of the hree camps which was supposedly in the best condition. Thirty to forty people shared threeroom apartments. sanitation conditions were appalling. refugees could not work. Furthermore. the Government does not allow the formal teaching of Kurdish to refugee children. and the boredom and uncertainty of the future fosters a pervading atmrsphere of oppression. frustration. and tension. Recently. the Government of Turkey canceled a longsought agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees IUNHCRJ which would have permanently sheltered thousands of the most needy. Governments around the world had pledged money for the settlement project at the behest of the UNHCR and the Turkish Government. This Congress recommended the expenditure of $5 million. and our State Department played a significant and commendable role in securing the cooperation of other nations In this endeavor. While domestic politics figured prominently in the last minute cancellation of the muchneeded settlement. antiKurdish bias and continued unwillingness to deal constructively with this group of refugees is reflected In the actions of the Turkish Government. In addition to canceling the project without official explanation. the Turkish Government has also refused to allow remaining donations to be used to upgrade conditions In existing camps. To make matters worse. since the beginning of this year. the Turkish Government has restricted access to the camps by United States diplomats and UNHCR officials. Turkish officials are now suggesting that the Iraqi Kurds take advantage of Saddam Husayns offer of amnesty and return to Iraq. The refugees now claim that supplies to the camps are being withheld by Turkish officials in an attempt to coerce them Into returning to Iraq. Human rights groups familiar with the situation have also voiced concerns over possible forced repatriations of the refugees. Mr. President. the fear is very real that if these individuals return to Iraq. they will share the fate of their brothers and sisters who have been murdered. or deported far from their homes. Mr. President. I returned from Turkey last August a strong supporter of our mutually beneficial relationship with that nation and I value our long friendship. Over the centuries Turkey. not unlike the United States. has provided a safe haven for millions of refugees. In fact. 1992 will mark the 500th anniversary of the establishment of a Jewish community in Turkey. which had fled the destruction of the Spanish Inquisition. The Government of Turkey faces important domestic political and security considerations in any matters pertaining to Kurds living in southeastern Turkey. However. the Governments actions with regard to the Iraqi Kurdish refugees have demonstrated an Insensitivity that only exacerbates existing tensions In the region. I urge the Government of Turkey to reconsider its policy visavis this refugee group. and do all that it can to welcome these refugees and allow them to enjoy the freedom and opportunity Turkey offers.c.