[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 39 (Wednesday, April 13, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     PLIGHT OF THE HAITIAN REFUGEES

  (Ms. NORTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I went to TransAfrica 
headquarters where its executive director, Randall Robinson, began a 
hunger strike until discriminatory and summary interdiction of Haitians 
fleeing the most repressive regime in the Western Hemisphere is ended.
  A thoughtful if committed leader, Randall has pursued this course 
only after all else has failed. Our government's timid response to the 
Governors Island accord has emboldened the neo-Duvalier and former 
Tonton Macoutes forces. The best evidence that the fleeing Haitians are 
legitimate refugees is that their boats stopped coming when Aristide 
was elected and started up again only after he was deposed. The way to 
end the flight of terrorized refugees is to support the first 
democratically elected leader in Haiti in 200 years.
  Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago, four of us led by Randall Robinson entered 
the South African Embassy and set in motion protests that helped 
produce the South African elections scheduled for this month. This time 
Randall begins his protest alone. We can join him by passing H.R. 4114 
to stop the return of Haitians to torture and death and to make the 
Governors Island accords law.

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