[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 44 (Monday, March 21, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E342-E343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEFINING CERTAIN ATROCITIES AS WAR CRIMES, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, AND 
                                GENOCIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. TULSI GABBARD

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 14, 2016

  Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I co-sponsored and will vote for H. Con. 
Res. 75 because of my grave concern about the genocide against 
Christians, Alawites, Shiites, Druze, Yazidis, and other religious 
minorities in Syria. However, I was extremely disappointed by amendment 
language later added to this resolution in Committee that provides 
``cover'' or an excuse for ISIS and other terrorist organizations 
committing this genocide.
  Specifically, the language I object to is the following: ``Syrian 
President Bashar al-Assad's violence against the Syrian people has 
attracted foreign fighters from around the world, who have supported 
and committed ISIL atrocities.''
  I fully reject this amendment to the resolution which gives moral 
legitimacy to the actions of ISIS, al-Qaeda, and others who are 
committing genocide against Christians, Yazidis, and other religious 
minorities in Syria.
  This amendment is an obvious attempt to make ISIS look like their 
cause is legitimate. This is unacceptable and undermines the heart of 
this resolution.
  This is very unfortunate because the problem of genocide against 
Christians, Yazidis, and other religious minorities in Syria is very 
serious. The main area in Syria where Christians and other religious 
minorities have any protection from being slaughtered, and where they 
can practice their own religious faiths without fear of persecution, is 
in the territory controlled by the Syrian government of Assad.

[[Page E343]]

  The reality is that the language added to this Resolution, coupled 
with its sister H. Con. Res. 121, is really aimed at justifying the 
overthrow of Assad--the result of which would be a complete assault and 
elimination of the Christians and other religious minorities in Syria.
  The fact that this Resolution, which was originally introduced to 
increase protection for Christians, Yazidis and other religious 
minorities, has now been hijacked so it becomes a vehicle to increase 
the likelihood of even greater genocide against those religious 
minorities is a disgrace.
  The reality is that if the Assad government is overthrown tomorrow, 
every Christian, every Yazidi, and every other religious minority and 
ethnic minority in Syria will be in greater danger than ever before 
from ISIS, al-Qaeda, and others who are slaughtering them.
  This Resolution is no longer a sincere effort to protect religious 
minorities. It has become a resolution to give moral legitimacy to ISIS 
and al-Qaeda's genocidal activities, and would bring about even greater 
genocide of such religious minorities by eliminating the only area 
where they now have refuge--in Assad-controlled areas.

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