[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 29, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1420]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF H. CON. RES. 144 URGING THE RELEASE FROM THE FEDERAL 
       REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA OF THREE DETAINED EMPLOYEES OF CARE

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                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 29, 1999

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have today introduced H. Con. Res. 144. 
The purpose of this resolution is to call attention to the case of 
three humanitarian workers unjustly imprisoned by the Federal Republic 
of Yugoslavia. Branko Jelen, Steve Pratt and Peter Wallace were 
employed in Yugoslavia by CARE International, the world famous relief 
and development organization, providing food, medicines and fuel to 
refugees in Serbia and Kosovo. In late March and early April, these 
three men were detained and later accused of operating an ``espionage 
ring.'' In a closed military court, their original indictments were 
dismissed only to be replaced by a new but similar charge of passing on 
information to a foreign organization. Their crime: providing CARE 
offices with ``situation reports'' based on experiences and openly 
available information. This standard procedure ensures that the 
organization's headquarters remains posted on the progress, prospects, 
and perils of their many humanitarian missions. The three are currently 
serving sentences of up to 12 years in Serbia. As this resolution 
clearly states, ``the three men are innocent, committed no crime, and 
are being held prisoner unjustly.''
  The contribution made by organizations like CARE is of great 
importance to international humanitarian efforts around the globe. 
Although they work in unstable and often dangerous areas, these aid 
agencies must be confident in their ability to operate safely. It is 
for this reason that the threat of groundless charges and indefensible 
incarcerations is so dangerous to relief operations. Many world 
leaders, including U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and South African 
President Nelson Mandela, have already sought the release of these 
three men. This measure urges the Government of the United States to 
undertake strenuous efforts to secure their freedom and as asserted in 
the resolution, ``calls on the Government of the Federal Republic of 
Yugoslavia . . . to give these workers their freedom without further 
delay.'' I want to thank my colleague from Alabama, Mr. Callahan, the 
chairman of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, for joining me on this 
effort. As members who work closely with the international NGO 
community, we are keenly aware of the contribution people like these 
gentlemen make to ending suffering around the world. I encourage the 
House of Representatives to declare our support for organizations such 
as CARE and our intolerance of the unjust imprisonment suffered by 
these three humanitarian workers by unanimously supporting H. Con. Res. 
144.

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