[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 148 (Thursday, September 21, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1824]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   THE NEED FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE FORMER 
                     YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

                                 ______


                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 21, 1995

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, one of the most difficult challenges facing 
the fledging democratic governments of Eastern Europe involves learning 
to treat equally and fairly all of their citizens--regardless of ethnic 
background--in the areas of rights and opportunities. Unfortunately, 
some of those governments are still seeking to treat their citizens 
from minority ethnic groups in traditionally nationalistic and 
counterproductive ways. Rather than working to ensure that all citizens 
are treated equally, they seek to limit the rights and opportunities of 
those citizens who do not belong to the majority ethnic group.
  In the Balkans region of Eastern Europe, the manner in which ethnic 
minorities are treated is crucial to the peace of that region. If 
further violence and repression are to be avoided in the successor 
states to the former Yugoslavia, each of those states needs to take 
meaningful steps to ensure that all of their citizens are accorded 
equal opportunities and rights in areas such as education that are 
necessary to ensure democracy and inter-ethnic peace.
  Mr. Speaker, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has been 
blessed by peace since it gained its independence in 1991. There are 
troubling signs, however, that the Government of Macedonia is not 
taking sufficient steps to ensure that those of its citizens from its 
considerable Albanian minority are provided with adequate opportunities 
for higher education in the Albanian language. The most worrisome 
consequence of this lack of educational opportunity is an increasing 
resentment toward that government among many of its ethnic Albanian 
citizens. Their frustration has led some ethnic Albanian citizens to 
attempt to open an Albanian-language university to ensure that 
opportunities for professional education are readily available to those 
who have been raised and educated in Albanian at the secondary school 
level.
  In February of this year, a renewed attempt to open such a university 
of Tetovo, Macedonia led to a violent clash between ethnic Albanians 
and Macedonian police. Tragically, one individual lost his life and 28 
others were wounded in that violent incident.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe all of us want to see the former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia and, in fact, all of the Southern Balkans avoid 
the kind of ethnic violence that has wracked the Northern Balkans for 4 
years now. We need to encourage the Government of Macedonia to 
constructively address the issue of fair opportunities for higher 
education in the language of its Albanian minority. I am therefore 
introducing today House Congressional Resolution 103, a resolution that 
focuses specifically on Macedonia and on the issue of proper access to 
higher education in that country. This resolution calls on the 
Government of Macedonia to:
  Ensure the fair and equitable treatment of all of its citizens, 
regardless of ethnic background;
  Consider all means by which higher education conducted in the 
Albanian language can be provided, including the possible establishment 
of an Albanian language university;
  Ensure the establishment of Albanian language pedagogical facilities 
at existing universities, and;
  Provide pardons for those convicted of charges relating to the events 
that accompanied attempts to open an Albanian language university at 
Tetovo in February 1995.
  The Resolution also calls on the President of the United States to:
  Express our country's strong support for Macedonian efforts to ensure 
access to higher education conducted in the Albanian language;
  Offer appropriate support for those international organizations that 
are working to resolve the issue of higher education in the Albanian 
language in Macedonia, and;
  Offer appropriate support for efforts by the Government of Macedonia 
to ensure access to higher education conducted in the Albanian 
language, including assistance for establishing necessary curricula and 
provision of textbooks and related course materials.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to strongly encourage my colleagues to join in 
cosponsoring this timely and important measure.

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