[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 18, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1296-E1297]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNITION OF WORLD REFUGEE DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK GREEN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 18, 2003

  Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to recognize World 
Refugee Day, declared on June 20, 2000 and every year thereafter by a 
special UN General Assembly Resolution. Whereas it is unquestionable 
that the new democratically-elected government in Kenya is a positive 
step forward for Africa, I want to also affirm the generosity of Kenya 
toward refugees and asylum-seekers. Statistics show that approximately 
20,000 new refugees and asylum-seekers fled to Kenya during 2002 from 
Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia,

[[Page E1297]]

Somaliland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi 
and Djibouti. While we recognize that there are ongoing peace efforts 
in a number of these countries that will hopefully allow these refugees 
to repatriate in safety and dignity--the resolution of all the 
conflicts that have driven these refugees to flee may not be resolved 
in the near future, and Kenya may continue to be called upon to assist. 
We in the Congress acknowledge this generosity and sacrifice, and 
commend the Kenyan people for their efforts to help those in need.

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