[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 103 (Monday, August 1, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 1, 1994]


 
                       HELSINKI HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate joint resolution (S.J. Res. 195) to designate August 1, 1994, as 
``Helsinki Human Rights Day.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                             S.J. Res. 195

       Whereas August 1, 1994, is the 19th anniversary of the 
     signing of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and 
     Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) (hereafter referred to as the 
     ``Helsinki Accords'');
       Whereas the participating States have declared their 
     determination to fully respect and apply the Helsinki 
     Principles Guiding Relations among participating States, 
     including respect for human rights, the territorial integrity 
     of States, and the inviolability of frontiers;
       Whereas the participating States have declared that ``the 
     protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental 
     freedoms and the strengthening of democratic institutions 
     continue to be a vital basis for our comprehensive 
     security'';
       Whereas the participating States have declared that 
     ``respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, 
     including the rights of persons belonging to national 
     minorities, democracy, the rule of law, economic liberty, 
     social justice, and environmental responsibility are our 
     common aims'';
       Whereas the participating States have acknowledged that 
     ``there is still much work to be done in building democratic 
     and pluralistic societies, where diversity is fully protected 
     and respected in practice'';
       Whereas the war in Bosnia and Hercegovina has resulted in 
     organized, systematic, and premeditated war crimes and 
     genocide and has threatened stability and security in Europe;
       Whereas ethnic tensions, civil unrest, and egregious human 
     rights abuses in several of the recently admitted CSCE States 
     continue to result in significant violations of CSCE 
     commitments; and
       Whereas the CSCE has contributed to positive developments 
     in Europe by promoting and furthering respect for the human 
     rights and fundamental freedoms of all individuals and groups 
     and provides an appropriate framework for the further 
     development of such rights and freedoms and genuine security 
     and cooperation among the participating States: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. HELSINKI HUMAN RIGHTS DAY.

       (a) Designation.--August 1, 1994, the 19th anniversary of 
     the signing of the Final Act of the Conference on Security 
     and Cooperation in Europe, is designated as ``Helsinki Human 
     Rights Day''.
       (b) Proclamation.--The President is authorized and 
     requested to issue a proclamation reasserting America's 
     commitment to full implementation of the human rights and 
     humanitarian provisions of the Helsinki Accords, urging all 
     signatory States to abide by their obligations under the 
     Helsinki Accords, and encouraging the people of the United 
     States to join the President and Congress in observance of 
     Helsinki Human Rights Day with appropriate programs, 
     ceremonies, and activities.
       (c) Human Rights.--The President is requested to convey to 
     all signatories of the Helsinki Accords that respect for 
     human rights and fundamental freedoms continues to be a vital 
     element of further progress in the ongoing Helsinki process; 
     and to develop new proposals to advance the human rights 
     objectives of the Helsinki process, and in so doing to 
     address the major problems that remain.

     SECTION 2. TRANSMITTAL.

       The Secretary of State is directed to transmit copies of 
     this joint resolution to the Ambassadors or representatives 
     to the United States of the other 52 Helsinki signatory 
     States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana [Mr. Hamilton] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton].
  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. HAMILTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us designates 
today--August 1--as Helsinki Human Rights Day.
  Let me first thank the chairman of the Post Office and Civil Service 
Committee, Mr. Clay, who agreed to waive consideration of this 
resolution so that the House could consider it today.
  I would like to also commend the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer], 
who is the original sponsor of the House companion resolution, House 
Joint Resolution 393.
  Mr. Hoyer has long been one of the principal proponents in the House 
of the need to protect internationally recognized human rights around 
the world, and he is to be commended for his work in this area.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution is very straightforward:
  It notes that today is the 19th anniversary of the signing of the 
Helsinki accords;
  It recognizes that the protection and promotion of human rights and 
fundamental freedoms, as well as the strengthening of democracy, 
continue to be vital to our security; and
  It recognizes the positive contributions to stability that the 
Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe has made by promoting 
and furthering respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of all 
individuals and groups.
  At this time, when ethnic tensions, civil unrest and continued human 
rights abuses continue to threaten stability around the world, I 
believe it is important for us to remember that civilized nations, 
acting in concert, can play an important role in addressing these 
problems.
  This resolution reasserts our commitment to full protection of human 
rights around the world and deserves the support of the House.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of Senate 
Joint Resolution 195 which designates today, August 1, 1994 as Helsinki 
Human Rights Day. Nineteen years ago our Nation along with Canada and 
all the other European nations signed the final act of the Conference 
on Security and Cooperation in Europe. That act culminated a long 
series of negotiations linking together the concepts of security and 
stability in Europe with the recognition of human rights. While today 
this notion is widely accepted, 19 years ago and earlier, during the 
bitterest years of the cold war, the totalitarian regime which 
controlled the Soviet Union categorically rejected international human 
rights standards.
  The Soviets maintained then that the manner in which citizens were 
treated by their government was strictly an ``internal matter,'' beyond 
the purview of international relations. By signing the final act the 
Soviets were not only brought within the sphere of Europe, but were 
also explicitly acknowledging that human rights were a legitimate issue 
of international concern.
  Tragically today, Mr. Speaker, in the former Yugoslavia, we are 
witnessing violations of human rights on a massive scale where the 
governments of the Republics of the former Yugoslavia are failing to 
uphold fully the standards contained in the Helsinki accords. Indeed, 
one government, Serbia, has adopted a policy of deliberately flouting 
these standards.
  The conflict in the Balkans is a signal to all of us that the 
Helsinki accords are a living document that we must constantly strive 
to uphold so that all the citizens of Europe can enjoy the fruits and 
benefits of peace, security, and the full enjoyment of basic human 
rights and fundamental freedoms.
  Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join in saying 
aye to Senate Joint Resolution 195, and by doing so, send a message 
that will be heard throughout Europe that we believe firmly in the CSCE 
and in fulfilling the promise of Helsinki that was born 19 years ago 
today.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the distinguished chairman of 
the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Hamilton, and the ranking minority 
member, Mr. Gilman, for their assistance in bringing the pending 
resolution before the House and for their steadfast support for the 
Helsinki process and the work of the Helsinki Commission. I am 
privileged to serve as cochairman of the Commission together with my 
good friend Senator Dennis DeConcini who is scheduled to retire at the 
end of this Congress. I want to make special mention and commend 
Senator DeConcini for his years of tireless dedicated service to the 
Commission and his steadfast commitment to the principles enshrined in 
the Helsinki Final Act.
  Today we commemorate the 19th anniversary of the signing of the 
Helsinki Final Act, a historic document which has, for nearly two 
decades now, proven invaluable in promoting human rights, democracy, 
and rule of law in the CSCE participating states. On August 1, 1975, 
the leaders of then 35 countries gathered in Helsinki, Finland, to sign 
the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe 
[CSCE]. The Final Act served and continues to serve as a standard 
against which to measure the human rights record of each of the 
signatory states. In a very real sense the Helsinki process laid the 
groundwork for many of the dramatic developments and changes which took 
place in Europe during the late 1980's. But the euphoria of that period 
has been tempered by the reality that Europe is still in the process of 
liberating itself from the legacy of the past; and as old 
confrontations and divisions fade, new ones threaten to undermine the 
new era of democracy, peace and unity in Europe following the end of 
the cold war.
  If there is to be a new world order it must be firmly rooted in the 
fundamental principles and freedoms enshrined in the Helsinki Final 
Act. While there has been some progress in this regard, there is so 
much more work to be done. We need look no further than Bosnia, where 
for over 2 years we have witnessed the destruction of a multicultural 
society. I recently returned from Sarajevo where I observed firsthand 
the disastrous consequences of armed aggression and genocide driven by 
intolerance and fueled by ethnic hatred.
  Through indecision and inaction the international community has 
allowed that situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina to deteriorate to its 
current state: over 200,000 killed; millions driven from their homes 
through a campaign of ``ethnic cleansing''; and thousands interned in 
concentration camps and rape motels. The ethnic cleansing campaigns in 
northwestern and, most recently, in northeastern Bosnia demonstrate 
that the Serb militants will not give up territory in light of a peace 
agreement, but will ``purify'' those areas which they feel are safely 
theirs, no matter what.
  Nothing, not even genocide, has prompted the kind of resolute action 
necessary to contain, let alone actively fight, the virus of ethnic 
hatred and intolerance which has consumed so many in the former 
Yugoslavia. Any negotiated resolution of war in Bosnia and in 
neighboring Croatia must fully respect CSCE principles, including 
respect for the territorial integrity of each. In addition, if justice 
is to be served, those responsible for crimes against humanity must be 
prosecuted.
  For decades Berlin was the symbol of cold war division. Today, 
Sarajevo is the symbol of another division in the heart of Europe. As 
Berliners held out hope that they would one day be united and free, the 
people of Sarajevo remain steadfast in their hope that it is not too 
late to resurrect the multiethnic society they worked for years to 
establish and nurture.
  Growing ethnic tensions, civil unrest, and egregious human rights 
violations, are by no means confined to the Balkans and are a source of 
continued concern. They remind us of the need to redouble our efforts 
to safeguard human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the CSCE 
community.
  In this regard, I note that Uzbekistan's regime continues to flout 
CSCE commitments by cracking down on opposition activists; the 
opposition has been completely suppressed or forced into exile by the 
most brutal methods. Human rights are similarly violated in 
Turkmenistan, where the regime never even let the opposition develop to 
the point where its suppression might be necessary. In Tajikistan, 
where a civil war in 1992-93 killed scores of thousands and made half a 
million people refugees, the regime, while now negotiating with the 
opposition, still is not allowing opposition forces to organize.
  In Russia, the recently issued anticrime decree contains elements 
which seriously threaten to undermine human rights. Even more worrying, 
however, is the report issued last week by the government human rights 
commission, headed by Sergei Kovalev, former dissident, political 
prisoner, and colleague of Andrei Sakharov. This report, excerpts of 
which have been published in the Russian press, details continuing 
human rights concerns, such as the survival of residence restrictions 
in Moscow, and the expulsion from the capital last October of thousands 
of ``people of Caucasian nationality.''
  On a positive note, I welcome the recent agreement between Estonia 
and the Russian Federation which paves the way for the removal of 
Russian troops from that Baltic state by the end of this month.
  Mr. Speaker, I recently returned from the third CSCE parliamentary 
assembly where there was considerable debate over recent developments 
in Turkey and that country's treatment of its Kurdish citizens. While 
Turkey is a valuable NATO ally and major recipient of United States 
military and economic assistance, we should not be deterred from 
voicing serious concerns over the deteriorating human rights situation 
and the Turkish Government's inability or unwillingness to 
constructively address abuses.
  The Helsinki Commission has always placed particular emphasis on the 
importance of implementation of CSCE human rights commitments. In 
recent months the Commission has issued a series of reports on human 
rights and democratization in countries of Central and Eastern Europe. 
Additional reports will be issued shortly. This ambitious effort is 
being undertaken in advance of the upcoming Budapest CSCE review 
meeting which, among other things, will consider the status of human 
rights in the now 53 participating states. The Budapest meeting will 
play an important role in helping to chart the course of the CSCE as it 
prepares to enter its third decade.
  Mr. Speaker, on this, the 19th anniversary of its signing, let us 
resolve anew to uphold those fundamental principles and freedom 
enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act.
  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, today marks the 19th anniversary of the day 
representatives of 33 European nations, Canada and the United States 
met in Helsinki, Finland to sign the Final Act of the Conference on 
Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Final Act, better known as the 
Helsinki Accords, created a framework by which these nations would 
agree to respect human rights, abide by international law, refrain from 
military aggression, and respect the borders and sovereignty of their 
neighbors.
  Through the early years of the CSCE, its founding principles 
represented more of a hope for the future--a statement of principles--
than a reality in many member countries. The Communist bloc countries 
continued to systematically violate the human rights of their people 
and the Baltics and a number of eastern and central European countries 
remained occupied.
  Today, however, the full promise of the CSCE is beginning to be met 
and CSCE has been an active part in this transformation. The group of 
signatory nations has grown to over 50, including the New Independent 
States of the former Soviet Union, the Baltics, and the other new 
nations of Europe.
  Although the cold war is over, the work of the CSCE is not. It can 
now play a critical role in helping to address the issues facing post-
cold-war Europe, such as the tensions over nationality which have 
arisen most notably in the former Yugoslavia and in newly independent 
countries of the CIS. The CSCE can also develop its role to ensure the 
full implementation of human rights guarantees in each of the more than 
50 member countries. The task of the Helsinki process should now be to 
make irreversible the Democratic advancements that have been made in 
eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union and to consolidate 
mechanisms for preventing conflict and preserving peace throughout 
Europe.
  Because the CSCE process has been such a useful forum to monitor 
international compliance to the Helsinki Accords, I believe that model 
of the Helsinki Commission should be applied to other international 
agreements. For this reason, I have introduced legislation to create a 
Rio Commission. The Rio Commission would oversee progress toward the 
policy goals produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment 
and Development [UNCED] in Rio de Janeiro in June. Like the Helsinki 
Commission, the Rio Commission would be composed of Members of Congress 
and the executive branch and would keep track of how the U.S. and UNCED 
conferees are implementing the commitments they made at the Earth 
Summit to achieve environmental protection and sustainable development. 
It is my hope that by establishing a Rio Commission, we will make as 
much progress on Earth Summit goals as we have made on the commitments 
that were included in the Helsinki Accords.
  I am pleased to join my colleague, Representative Hoyer, Chairman of 
the Helsinki Commission, in marking the anniversary of the signing of 
the Helsinki Accords and I urge the adoption of this resolution.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton] that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate joint resolution, Senate Joint Resolution 195.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate joint resolution was 
passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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