[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11790]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            CONFERENCE ON THE DEEPENING CRISIS FOR HAITIANS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 7, 2005

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for an important 
conference taking place today--the Conference on the Deepening Crisis 
for Haitians. This conference will bring together members of the 
Haitian American community, the academic sector, non-governmental 
organizations, and representatives from the U.S. and Haitian 
governments to discuss key issues facing Haitians.
  While Haiti has recently celebrated more than 200 years of 
independence from French colonial rule, the citizens of the island 
remain vulnerable to poverty, poor health, and political chaos. 
Tumultuous events in the past year and a half consisted of violent 
uprisings, the departure of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, massive 
floods in May displacing tens of thousands, and Tropical Storm Jeanne 
in September leading to more than 3,000 deaths in the ensuing floods. 
Sadly, Haiti has not been able to recover from these recent disasters 
and many Haitians are living in terrible conditions. This is why I have 
urged Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to grant Temporary 
Protected Status to Haitian nationals living in the United States. With 
thousands of people killed in the natural disasters and hundreds of 
thousands left homeless, Haiti is temporarily unable to handle the 
return of nationals. Haitians already in the U.S. should be allowed to 
remain in peace and security in the U.S. while the island recovers.
  Today, the Organization of American States General Assembly is 
meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Organization's Secretary 
General, Jose Miguel Insulza, has pledged to raise the subject of Haiti 
at the OAS during the session. While this is a welcome sign, it is the 
least of what will be needed if Haiti is to emerge from its deepening 
crisis. The international community and the United States must get 
serious about finding a way out of the expanding abyss so that Haiti 
can once again move forward.
  We all would like to see a brighter future for Haiti, and I hope this 
conference will serve to explore many views. Respect for human rights, 
freedom, and the rule of law must be established in the poorest nation 
in our hemisphere. Our Haitian constituents and their relatives are 
counting on us to help bring Haiti out of its volatile situation. I am 
pleased to support the Conference on the Deepening Crisis for Haitians, 
and I commend the Conference for hosting this dialogue.

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