[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 27 (Friday, February 10, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E318]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              CONCRETE SUPPORT FOR THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

                                 ______


                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, February 10, 1995
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, next week the United Nations 
begins another review of the budget needs for the International 
Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. This tribunal has already 
faced numerous obstacles to its establishment and considerable 
bureaucratic and political barriers to its staffing; worse still, it 
continues to face opposition from those who would rather negotiate with 
war criminals than see them in jail. In spite of numerous political and 
procedural roadblocks, the tribunal issued its first indictment in 
early November, is proceeding with investigations, and is expected to 
bring cases to trial later this year.
  This progress by no means guarantees long-term success, Mr. Speaker. 
In fact, in an article published in the Washington Post, Tom Warrick, 
an attorney who assisted the head of the United Nations War Crimes 
Commission, points out that the results of a relatively obscure U.N. 
committee may determine ``whether those ultimately responsible for 
ethnic cleansing are ever to be brought to justice.'' And, as those who 
oppose this tribunal have learned, what they can't defeat openly 
through the political process, they may be able to gut in the United 
Nations closed-door budget negotiations.
  Nongovernmental experts have already suggested that the $28 million 
sought by tribunal officials may be too low, given the costs of 
gathering testimony from the thousands of victims of the extensive list 
of deplorable war crimes and in light of the on-site investigations 
that the effective prosecution of war criminals will require. 
Nevertheless, it appears that securing even these funds may be an 
uphill battle with the U.N. bureaucracy.
  Accordingly, I have written to the President, along with the 
Cochairman of the Helsinki Commission, Senator D'Amato, and 
Representative Steny Hoyer, the former chairman of and now ranking 
House minority member on the Commission, urging the President to 
instruct the U.S. delegation to the United Nations to press vigorously 
at these upcoming budget meetings to ensure adequate funding for the 
tribunal. The establishment of this body, against so many odds, is a 
credit to strong U.S. leadership. But, without proper funding, Mr. 
Speaker, the tribunal will never be able to execute the historic tasks 
that have been set for it. We have also indicated our support for an 
additional voluntary contribution to the tribunal by the United States 
of an amount not less than the $3 million cash contribution provided 
last year.
  Mr. Speaker, as the Bosnian Prime Minister, Haris Silajdzic, stated 
at the Helsinki Commission's hearing just 2 weeks ago, war crimes and 
genocide continue in Bosnia even now, during the 50th anniversary of 
the liberation of Auschwitz. I cannot overstate my conviction that 
holding war criminals accountable for the heinous crimes they have 
committed in this conflict will be an essential element for any long-
term resolution of this tragedy. If the United States, at this 
juncture, inexplicably reduces the level of financial support it has 
provided to the tribunal, it might send a regrettable signal of 
weakening U.S. resolve to see war criminals held truly accountable. We 
must not let that happen.


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