[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 61 (Wednesday, May 17, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E751-E752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN HONOR OF THE SELF-PROCLAIMED DNESTR MOLDAVIAN REPUBLIC (DMR)

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 17, 2000

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, today I speak on behalf of the people of 
the self-proclaimed Dnestr Moldavian Republic (DMR).
  Moldova, inhabited by a Romanian majority, declared its independence 
of the USSR in 1992. However, Moscow did not recognize their 
independence. Consequently, a conflict has ensued between the ethnic 
Russian minority and the Romanian majority, resulting in the arrest of 
six Romanians who have been jailed every since.
  The case of the ``Tiraspol Six,'' as they came to be known, was taken 
up by many international organizations. According to a 1998 Amnesty 
International Report, ''Their trial has apparently failed to meet 
international standards of fairness, and the men had allegedly been 
prosecuted for political reasons, because of their membership of the 
Christian

[[Page E752]]

Democratic Popular Front, a Moldovan party favoring reunification with 
Romania.'' While two of the men have been released, four others remain 
in jail, suffering inhumane living conditions, denial of medical 
treatment and of visits by international organizations. I cannot make a 
formal judgement on the merits of the Tiraspol Six case, but I will 
defer to the findings of international human rights and pro-Democracy 
organizations. Amnesty International urged the authorities to ``conduct 
prompt, impartial and effective investigations into all allegations of 
ill-treatment by police and to bring those responsible to justice.''
  These four men remain in jail today awaiting a fair and open day in 
court and a right to defend themselves against the charges made against 
them. The United States should help to promote freedom and democracy in 
region, by advocating just and fair treatment in court of the people of 
Moldova.

                          ____________________