[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 19182]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



            WESTERN SAHARA PRISONERS OF WAR NEED TO GO HOME

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, the country of Morocco has been in the news 
a lot the last couple of weeks. This morning, I rise on behalf of 83 
freed Moroccan POWs in the midst of the Sahara Desert. These men were 
originally imprisoned due to the conflict between Western Saraha and 
Morocco.
  These prisoners were released in 1997 by Western Sahara as a goodwill 
gesture when former Secretary of State George Baker, who was the 
emissary of the UN Secretary General, visited the Sahrawi people in 
their refugee camps. Eighty-five prisoners were released and filled 
with anticipation of going home. Unfortunately, two of the men have 
died while waiting for permission from their government to visit 
Morocco.
  Last year I visited these released POWs in their camp. You can see 
these men in the photo around me.
  Madam Speaker, some of these men have languished, along with the 
Sahrawi refugees, in the desert for 20 years. Yet, even though they are 
free, Morocco has not allowed them to return home to Morocco to their 
families.
  Why? No one knows.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the new King of Morocco as a gesture of good 
will to accept the freed Moroccan citizens so they can return home to 
their families.

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