Speech #1020223546

Speaker. I rise In strong support of House Resolution 557. of which I am a cosponsor. This resolution focuses needed attention on the plight of refugees and displaced persons in the former Yugoslav republics. The crisis that has caused Yugoslavias violent disintegration. has created over 2 million refugees and displaced persons in the process. Some are the victims of ethnic cleansing policies. while other fled from the fighting that consumed their once peaceful villages and towns. Many have no homes to which they can return. And. as the fighting uproots more and more innocent civilians. winter is beginning to set in. straining the already large international effort to assist the fleeing masses. A particular burden Is held by those neighboring or nearby countries to which the refugees escape. The United States. for its part. has delivered. to date. more than $50 million worth of assistance. and has promised an additional $40 million to help the refugees survive what will be a difficult winter. This resolution reaffirms our support for and encouragement of such efforts. It also states some Important principles that the International community should follow. such as reaffirming the right of refugees to return to their former residences and to receive appropriate compensation. and declaring property transfer documents signed by refugees under duress to be null and void. As chairman of the Helsinki Commission. I view principles such as these to be critically important. I would also point out. Mr. Speaker. that this resolution correctly states that Serbia and Montenegro. who together make up a new Yugoslav federation. are primarily responsible for the creation of the refugee crisis. but it does not in any way discriminate against refugees or displaced persons. Moslems. Croats. and Serbs have all suffered from this conflict. In the final analysis. Mr. Speaker. the best solution to the refugee crisis created by the Yugoslav conflict Is to bring the fighting to an end. and to begin the processes of reconstruction and reconciliation that must Inevitably take place in the region. The sooner we do that. the better. In the meantime. however. we must realize the need for shortterm measures to alleviate the plight of those most victimized by this horrible conflict.