[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 101 (Thursday, July 28, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
    THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONS MUST ACT TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAGEDIES IN 
                         COUNTRIES LIKE RWANDA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from North Carolina [Mrs. Clayton] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, the human disaster associated with recent 
atrocities in Rwanda should shake the conscience and civility of all 
humanity and Members of this body. This human catastrophe, which has 
been graphically portrayed in televised footage of the refugee camps of 
Goma, Zaire and the massive destruction of Kigali, calls into question 
many pertinent issues relating to United States foreign policy and the 
responsibility of the world community of nations.
  Brian Atwood, Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International 
Development, has said that the ``. . . international community has 
never faced a refugee exodus of such magnitude in so brief a time.'' 
With over 2\1/2\ million internally displaced people and nearly 2\1/2\ 
million refugees in surrounding nations, this tragedy now poses a 
significant threat to the regional stability of the horn of Africa.
  The fragile nation of Burundi shares the same ethnic composition as 
Rwanda and stands at the brink of chaos. Uganda, Tanzania, and Zaire 
host thousands of Rwandan refugees which threatens the stability of 
each nation. In this context, we must act to not only provide 
humanitarian relief but also to contain the chaos that threatens to 
spread throughout the entire region.
  I applaud the effort of the administration in its recent operation to 
respond to the horrific circumstances prevalent in the crowded refugee 
camps. Currently, U.S. AID is working in tandem with the Joint Military 
Task Force and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to provide the 
suffering masses with logistical support, food, medicine, and clean 
water. We are beginning to take our appropriate leadership role in 
responding to the chaos which has resulted in the deaths of anywhere 
from 500,000 to 1 million people.
  But we must do more to mobilize other nations to cooperate in this 
mission. Through our role in the United Nations' Security Council, we 
must work to galvanize the U.N. system to respond to the degree of 
chaos consistent with countries like Rwanda. In addition, other nations 
must be made aware of their obligation to provide support.
  Because of the cost associated with these missions, the United 
Nations must be employed as a critical medium for disaster relief and 
crisis prevention. This entails active collective involvement.
  Questions are begged: Could we have prevented this human tragedy and 
mass genocide from occurring? What was the world's collective 
responsibility to act? How many more deaths must we witness in nations 
like Rwanda or Bosnia before we are compelled to take decisive action? 
I believe that these questions demand that we probe deeper into the 
nature and focus of American foreign policy in a post-cold war era--a 
time in which we as Americans must rethink and redefine what 
constitutes ``American interest.''
  Despite attempts to treat American economic interest and respect for 
human rights separately, I believe that appropriate U.S. foreign policy 
must attempt to harmonize these concepts. In the big picture, a more 
stabilized and civil world directly serves our interests. In order to 
maximize and expand global market opportunities for our industries, our 
trading partners or potential trading partners must have stable, free, 
and civil societies where the rule of law is the standard.
  In an ever dangerous world which continues to see blood shed, famine, 
and unrest, we must carefully analyze how American military and 
diplomatic resources are utilized. As Americans, we must solicit other 
nations to share in a collective responsibility. As a community of 
nations, we must diligently work to prevent future tragedies from 
resulting in the same degree of suffering seen in Rwanda.
  In defining our ``new American interest'' and the role of 
international organizations like the United Nations in the post-cold-
war era, one thing is certain--we must act. We must act as leaders of 
the New World Order.

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