[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 89 (Monday, June 17, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1095-E1096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR LEBANON

                                 ______


                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                              of indiania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 17, 1996

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of 
my colleagues an exchange of letters I and 16 of our colleagues in

[[Page E1096]]

the House had with the Agency for International Development [AID] 
regarding the emergency needs of assistance in Lebanon in the aftermath 
of the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel in April.
  Lebanon remains an important country for the United States and it is 
in our national interest to help its people as they struggle to 
preserve and strengthen the country's independence, territorial 
integrity, and freedom.
  The continued fighting in southern Lebanon has brought untold 
suffering on Lebanese civilians often caught in the crossfire. While 
helping to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, there is a real 
need to work immediately for a Lebanese-Israeli peace agreement which 
produces a durable cessation of fighting, allows for a total Israeli 
withdrawal from Lebanon, holds the Lebanese Army responsible for 
security along the country's southern border, and implements a plan for 
the disarming of Hezbollah and other groups in Lebanon not already 
disarmed.
  The congressional letter of April 18 and the AID reply of June 7 
follows:


                                Congress of the United States,

                                   Washington, DC, April 18, 1996.
     Hon. Brian Atwood,
     Director, Agency for International Development, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Mr. Director: The purpose of this letter is to request 
     emergency assistance for the civilian refugees in Lebanon. 
     After 16 years of civil war, we were hopeful that Lebanon was 
     on the road to regaining the peace and stability that made it 
     a hallmark in the Middle East. However, due to the most 
     recent violence in the region, several thousand civilian men, 
     women, and children have been forced to flee their homes and 
     have suffered great tragedy. Although any loss of life is 
     tragic, whether it be Jewish or Arab, this situation is 
     particularly troublesome to us as we believe the Lebanese 
     government is unable to respond fully to this overwhelming 
     demand upon its infrastructure and public services. Any 
     assistance the United States could provide would be a 
     tangible demonstration of our commitment to peace in this 
     region.
       The specific needs which we ask you to address are, in our 
     opinion, humanitarian and easily justifiable. We have been 
     informed that there is an immediate need for food and water 
     supplies, water purification gear, sanitation provisions, 
     housing materials, medicines and medical equipment. Any 
     assistance your Department can provide will be quickly and 
     fully employed to relieve this tragic suffering.
       We are ready to work with you. Thank you very much for your 
     consideration of this request, and we look forward to your 
     response.
           Sincerely,
         John D. Dingell, Ray LaHood, Lee H. Hamilton, Nick J. 
           Rahall, II, Joe Knollenberg, Pat Danner, Martin Hoke, 
           David E. Bonior, Victor Frazer, Marcy Kaptur, John 
           Baldacci, John Conyers, Tony P. Hall, Howard Berman, 
           Dana Eshoo, Ronald V. Dellums, Jim Moran.
                                                                    ____

                                                   U.S. Agency for


                                     International Development

                                     Washington, DC, June 7, 1996.
     Hon. Lee H. Hamilton,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Hamilton: Thank you for your letter of 
     April 18, 1996, regarding the need for humanitarian 
     assistance to civilian refugees in Lebanon. Mr. Atwood is 
     traveling overseas and ask me to respond.
       The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and 
     the Department of State are actively responding to the 
     humanitarian needs of thousands of civilians who were 
     displaced by the conflict in April. On April 19, the U.S. 
     Ambassador to Lebanon, Richard Jones, issued a disaster 
     declaration in response to a series of international appeals 
     for assistance launched by the Government of Lebanon. USAID 
     released $25,000 for immediate provision to local non-
     governmental organizations implementing emergency relief 
     activities. These organizations provided immediate support 
     and lodging, mobilized ambulance fleets, mobile clinics, and 
     first aid centers to assist the sick and wounded. Internally 
     displaced persons also received kitchen utensils, water 
     purification tablets, infant powdered milk, blankets, hygiene 
     materials, and medicine.
       Also, on April 19, the State Department's Bureau for 
     Population, Refugees, and Migration authorized $1 million to 
     respond to the International Committee of the Red Cross' 
     (ICRC) $3 million emergency appeal for Lebanon. In addition, 
     the State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs 
     recently provided excess military medical supplies and 
     equipment weighing more than 29,000 pounds and valued at 
     $223,962 to the victims of the conflict. The cost of 
     transporting this assistance was $105,600.
       Moreover, we have received reports from the field that the 
     ICRC emergency appeal and the United Nations' $8.6 million 
     Flash Appeal for Internally Displaced Persons as a result of 
     the emergency in Lebanon have been fully met. Total 
     contributions towards these appeals, which currently amount 
     to nearly $12 million, have successfully supported first-aid 
     activities and the provision of medical and relief supplies, 
     including much-needed water supplies, water purification 
     tablets and jerry cans, kitchen utensils, and personal 
     hygiene materials, as well as the distribution of food to 
     displaced populations.
       Finally, as an initial response, the U.N. World Food 
     Program (WFP) has donated $707,000 for distribution of 
     locally purchased food commodities, such as rice, pulses, and 
     vegetable oil, to 100,000 beneficiaries for a 30-day period 
     starting on May 1. WFP has already provided the Lebanese 
     government with 80 metric tons of canned fish for 
     distribution among the displaced population.
       Thank you for sharing your concerns on this matter with us 
     and for your kind offer to assist us in expediting this 
     assistance. If I can be further assistance, please let me 
     know.
           Sincerely,

                                                 Jill Buckley,

                               Assistant Administrator, Bureau for
     Legislative and Public Affairs.

                          ____________________