[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 28, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CASTRO'S RUTHLESS ACT OF VIOLENCE

                                 ______


                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 28, 1996

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my 
outrage over Fidel Castro's act of violence by shooting down two small 
unarmed civilian planes last Saturday.
  Shooting down unarmed civilian planes is a flagrant violation of 
international law and a horribly inhumane act. There are legitimate 
ways for a country to protect their national borders, but the Cuban 
Government ignored every one of them last Saturday by shooting down 
these planes. International law dictates that civilian planes should 
not be fired upon even if they do fly into forbidden airspace. It 
requires warning off the approaching aircraft. But the Castro 
government decided to react in the most brutal way by ignoring American 
urgings to stay on a peaceful and legal path.
  Mr. Speaker, Since Castro's rise to power, Cuba has surpassed every 
other Nation in the Western Hemisphere in human rights violations. 
Because we cannot rest in the face of the oppression of the Cuban 
people, I fully support the steps taken by the Clinton administration 
as well as the Helms-Burton legislation which imposes tighter sanctions 
on Cuba.
  Mr. Speaker, we cannot allow these acts of violence to be perpetuated 
against any person, Cuban or American. Fidel Castro has no respect for 
the dignity of human life. Maybe the passage of Helms-Burton as well as 
additional steps taken by the administration will teach him, if not the 
value of human life, then the repercussions he faces when he kills 
unarmed American civilians.

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