[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 24, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E444-E445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RESOLUTION ON THE RECENT VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 24, 2004

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a 
resolution which expresses the sense of the House regarding the recent 
violence in Kosovo. Supporting the resolution as original co-sponsors 
are my colleagues on the Helsinki Commission: Mr. Cardin, Mr. Pitts and 
Mr. Hastings.
  Last week, close to 30 people were killed, hundreds were wounded and 
over 3,000 persons were displaced by renewed ethnic violence in Kosovo. 
In addition, considerable property was damaged or destroyed, in 
particular Orthodox Churches. In retaliation, protesters in Serbia 
damaged or destroyed several mosques.
  This violence was noteworthy mostly in its scale. As a practical 
matter, the situation for minority communities in Kosovo, including 
Serbs and Roma, has not been good since the United Nations, backed by a 
NATO-led peace operation, took control in 1999. A few weeks ago, I met 
with Serbian Orthodox Bishop Artemije, who presented documentation of 
attacks on churches and monasteries in Kosovo.
  As Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I recall the horrors which 
Slobodan Milosevic and his regime inflicted on the Albanian population 
of Kosovo. Attacks on places of worship and the lack of measures to 
stop these obviously vulnerable sites from being attacked again and 
again are inexcusable, as are the attacks on innocent people, be they 
Serbs, Albanians, Roma or anybody else.
  This resolution says that the violence must stop. It supports Kosovo 
achieving benchmarks which, if met, would effectively mean the 
protection of human rights and democratic

[[Page E445]]

development as well. It support the international community taking 
greater action, including providing more security, in order to achieve 
this progress.
  I believe this resolution should be able to garner wide support. This 
House should be on record as condemning the violence and saying that 
the human rights situation for the people who live there, regardless of 
their ethnicity, must improve.

                               Resolution

       Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
     successfully intervened in 1999 to stop the continued, brutal 
     repression of the Albanian population of Kosovo by the regime 
     of Slobodan Milosevic;
       Whereas NATO has subsequently led a multinational peace 
     operation in Kosovo, known as KFOR, while the United Nations 
     has deployed an international civilian police force to 
     enhance peace and security;
       Whereas the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
     Europe (OSCE) has deployed a mission to help develop 
     democratic institutions, including a professional and 
     multiethnic Kosovo Police Service, and encourage respect for 
     human rights;
       Whereas the United States and the international community 
     as a whole have called for all parties to respect the terms 
     of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (June 10, 
     1999) as the basis for progress in Kosovo;
       Whereas the United Nations has developed benchmarks in 
     Kosovo, progress in the achievement of which would include 
     increased respect for human rights and adherence to the rule 
     of law;
       Whereas ethnic communities comprising the population of 
     Kosovo, including an Albanian majority and Serb, Romani, and 
     several other minority communities, have yet to reconcile 
     their differences despite efforts by the international 
     community and several nongovernmental organizations;
       Whereas the OSCE has issued several reports critical of the 
     respect shown in Kosovo for the rights of persons belonging 
     to minorities;
       Whereas ethnic tensions remain high in Kosovo due to the 
     lack of freedom of movement, the inability of displaced 
     persons to return to their homes, and sporadic and recurring 
     attacks on individuals, their property, and particularly 
     their places of worship;
       Whereas separate and tragic incidents in Kosovo led to a 
     massive outbreak of violence on March 17, 2004, which has 
     left dozens dead, hundreds wounded, and thousands more 
     displaced;
       Whereas Orthodox churches and monasteries in Kosovo have 
     often been targeted for attack, and in recent days several 
     additional churches and monasteries have been severely 
     damaged or destroyed;
       Whereas mosques in Serbia have also been attacked, damaged, 
     or destroyed, in apparent retaliation for the violence taking 
     place against minority populations in Kosovo;
       Whereas this violence in Kosovo threatens the dialogue 
     which has just been established on issues of common concern, 
     such as resolving the cases of missing persons from the 
     earlier conflict; and
       Whereas it should be beneath the dignity of any individual 
     who was persecuted or otherwise suffered under the repressive 
     regime of Slobodan Milosevic to violate the human rights of 
     others, to support the persecution or repression of those 
     belonging to other ethnic groups, or to encourage or 
     participate in their ethnic cleansing: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of 
     Representatives that--
       (1) the outbreak of violence in Kosovo deserves the 
     strongest condemnation by the United States and the 
     international community, and all sides should refrain from 
     encouraging or engaging in any further violence;
       (2) the attacks on places of worship in Kosovo and in 
     various Serbian cities should be viewed as especially 
     reprehensible;
       (3) those who can be identified as responsible for acts of 
     violence should be brought to justice;
       (4) the elected leaders of Kosovo have a primary 
     responsibility to take action to stop any continuing 
     violence, to prevent future violence, and to encourage ethnic 
     reconciliation and respect for the rights of persons 
     belonging to minorities in Kosovo;
       (5) the presence of additional military forces in the NATO-
     led multinational peace operation in Kosovo, known as KPOR, 
     as decided by NATO with the support of the United States on 
     March 18, 2004, is warranted and welcomed;
       (6) the international community should take necessary 
     measures to protect people and property facing the threat of 
     violence in Kosovo;
       (7) dialogue on issues of common concern in Kosovo, 
     including the resolution of missing persons cases, should 
     continue;
       (8) the benchmarks established by the United Nations 
     parallel the democratic standards established and encouraged 
     by participating states of the Organization for Security and 
     Cooperation in Europe (OSCE);
       (9) the United States and the international community as a 
     whole should maintain an active and effective presence in 
     Kosovo not only until violence subsides but until there is 
     significant progress in meeting the benchmarks established by 
     the United Nations, including the return of displaced persons 
     and greater freedom of movement for all persons throughout 
     Kosovo; and
       (10) authorities in Serbia should maintain efforts to 
     protect people and property vulnerable to retaliatory 
     violence.

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