[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ONGOING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN KYRGYZSTAN

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                           HON. RUSS CARNAHAN

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 22, 2010

  Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs 
Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and 
Oversight, I wanted to call attention to the ongoing humanitarian 
crisis in Kyrgyzstan.
  Since the ousting of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's government 
on April 7, 2010, the southern Kyrgyzstan region along the Uzbekistan 
border has been plagued with ethnic violence. Instability and waves of 
violence have continued in Osh and Jalal-Abad, resulting in killings, 
rapes, beatings, and widespread pillaging and destruction of homes and 
communities. Moreover, there are reportedly at least 400,000 displaced 
persons, of which many are ethnic Uzbeks seeking refuge in Uzbekistan. 
Those remaining in Osh are isolated and living in fear of the next 
violent clash. Meanwhile, the Kyrgyzstan interim government continues 
to struggle to stabilize the region.
  I am encouraged by recent actions taken by the U.S. Government and 
the international community in response to the humanitarian crisis. 
Last week, the State Department announced $32.267 million in aid 
programs for humanitarian relief, reconstruction, and community 
stabilization. I look forward to working with the Administration to 
help ensure that taxpayer resources are spent efficiently, 
transparently, and effectively to help those Kyrgyz and Uzbeks most in 
need and establish lasting stability.
  Additionally last week, the UN Human Rights Council condemned the 
ethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan and called on its interim government to 
conduct a complete and transparent investigation into the events of 
April 7 that led to the ouster of the previous government, as well as 
the ongoing ethnic violence.
  Healing the wounds of ethnic violence and achieving long-term 
stability will not be easy in a region with such burgeoning ethnic 
tensions. It is important that the international community, including 
the United States, remains committed to addressing the humanitarian 
needs and achieving meaningful and sustainable progress in Kyrgyzstan.

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