[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1965-E1966]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REDOUBLING EFFORTS TO APPREHEND INDICTED WAR CRIMINALS IN THE FORMER 
                               YUGOSLAVIA

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 8, 1998

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
4660, authorizing the provision of rewards for information leading to 
the arrest and conviction of war criminals and those who have committed 
other serious violations of international humanitarian law in the 
former Yugoslavia.
  As Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I have followed the tragic 
developments in the former Yugoslavia and advocated decisive action to 
stop the senseless slaughter, first in Bosnia, and most recently in 
Kosovo. But decisive action is not limited to military intervention 
alone. The tragic chapters of genocide and cold blooded murder in the 
Former Yugoslavia will not be closed until those responsible for such 
heinous criminal acts are brought to justice.
  Developments in Bosnia underscore the fact that there is a price--a 
high price--to be paid for allowing indicted war criminals like 
Karadzic and Mladic to remain at large. The unfolding carnage in Kosovo 
is most certainly the handiwork of the ``Butcher of Belgrade,'' 
Slobodan Milosevic. I applaud the recent passage of resolutions in the 
House and Senate calling for the investigation and indictment of 
Slobodan Milosevic as a war criminal. In fact, I introduced the measure 
in this House. We all

[[Page E1966]]

recognize, though, that true justice demands that the net be cast 
further than the one person most responsible.
  As a supporter of the Tribunal, I believe it is critical that the 
Tribunal take a proactive stance in Kosovo that could serve as a 
possible deterrence against a new round of war crimes in the Former 
Yugoslavia. In the case of Bosnia, the Tribunal could only react to 
crimes that were mostly committed before and during its formation. In 
Kosovo, however, crimes could perhaps be deterred, if the Tribunal is 
vigorous and visible in its investigation of ongoing activity.
  Mr. Speaker, we saw a couple of days ago the reports of a major 
massacre in three villages in Kosovo, where women, children and the 
elderly were slain and, in some instances, their bodies mutilated by 
the Serbian security forces. These scenes are all too familiar and, 
absent determined action, will be repeated over and over and over 
again. The Helsinki Commission has received disturbing reports from 
Senator Bob Dole and Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck who 
formed a fact-finding mission to Kosovo. They told us about men being 
separated from women and children and simply taken away, perhaps to 
lengthy detention or maybe their execution. There are also reports, 
again of the mass rape being used as a weapon of war.
  Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H.R. 4660, I believe adoption of this 
legislation will underscore the continued commitment of the United 
States to see that those responsible for the war crimes and other 
serious violations of international humanitarian law are held 
accountable for their actions. While it is unlikely that the offer of 
rewards alone will lead to the arrest or conviction of all of those 
responsible for war crimes in the Former Yugoslavia, even if one war 
criminal is brought to justice as a result of our action today, the 
modest investment would have been worth the effort.

                          ____________________