[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 30, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1409-E1410]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SUPPORTING A RESOLUTION OF THE CRISIS IN KOSOVA

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. JOHN EDWARD PORTER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 29, 1996

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of House Concurrent 
Resolution 155, I rise today to strongly urge its immediate passage.
  Kosovo, known as Kosova to ethnic Albanians, is the region in 
southern Serbia which has been the focal point of bitter struggles 
between Serbs and Albanians for centuries. Albanians make up over 90 
percent of the current population of the area. In 1989 and 1990, the 
Serbian parliament passed amendments to the Serbian Constitution that 
eliminated the wide-ranging autonomy Kosova had enjoyed under the 1974 
Constitution. As a result, turmoil erupted in the country and dozens of 
innocent lives were lost in violent protests and riots. Over 100,000 
ethnic Albanians have been fired from their employment and replaced by 
Serbs. Hundreds of ethnic Albanians have been arrested and beaten by 
Serbian police for allegedly engaging in nationalist activities. 
According to the State Department Country Reports on Human Rights for 
1995, ``police repression continued at a high level against the ethnic 
Albanians of Kosova * * * and reflected a general campaign to keep 
[those] who are not ethnic Serbs intimidated and unable to exercise 
basic human and civil rights.''
  Mr. Speaker, we are still trying to cope with the unconscionable acts 
that occurred in Bosnia. I doubt that the men, women, and children, who 
were forced to live their lives for

[[Page E1410]]

over 3 years under the constant stress of this violent conflict will 
ever fully recover from the terrifying experience. Many experts warn 
that Kosova could become the next major battleground in the former 
Yugoslavia, possibly drawing neighboring countries into a regional war, 
presenting a very real danger to regional stability. Mr. Speaker, we 
must do everything possible to prevent this tragedy from occurring.
  This resolution aims to bring peace and stability to Kosova by 
insisting that the situation in Kosova must be resolved before the 
outer wall of sanctions against Serbia is lifted and that country is 
able to return to the international community. Furthermore, this 
resolution insists that the human rights of the people of Kosova must 
be restored to levels guaranteed by international law.
  Just this past month, we witnessed what I believe is a positive sign 
that peace and prosperity lie ahead for the people of Kosova. After 
much urging, the United States Information Agency finally opened an 
office in Kosova. This is a very encouraging step, and I hope that the 
State Department continues to make Kosova a priority by appointing a 
special envoy to aid in negotiating a resolution to the crisis in 
Kosova.
  I thank my colleague Mr. Engel for bringing the situation in Kosova 
to the attention of Congress, and I strongly urge my colleagues to 
support the passage of this resolution which will help to bring 
resolution of the crisis in Kosova.

                          ____________________