[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 25, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 25, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                         HUMAN RIGHTS IN HAITI

  (Mr. NADLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, last Saturday the Haitian military regime 
stepped up its reign of terror by ordering government prosecutors to 
enforce the 14-year-old Duvalier-era law that makes irregular trips to 
foreign lands illegal. Its reappearance right after the United States 
announcement that we were tightening the embargo represents the latest 
action by a regime intent on displaying its contempt for human rights, 
democracy, and for the United States.
  This law serves notice on us that any Haitian refugee who is 
henceforth returned to Haiti will be subjected to imprisonment, to 
torture, and to death.
  The Goss amendment which passed last night and calls for setting up a 
processing center on Ile de la Gonava to sort out real from pretend 
refugees will not solve the basic problem, which is that we are now on 
notice that no Haitian who tries to leave can be returned safely.
  The Haitian military has decided they are all criminals simply 
because they try to flee the tyranny. Whether we return them from Ile 
de la Gonava or from Ukrainian cruise ships, we are still sending them 
back to certain persecution, torture, and murder.
  Mr. Speaker, we must not continue this policy and repeat the shame of 
1938 when we returned Jewish refugees to death at the hands of the 
Nazis.

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