13501 Hon. Jason Chaffetz Hon. Alcee L. Hastings Hon
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
July 20, 2010 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 156, Pt. 10 13501 their families a great debt. Our resolution CHECHNYA A YEAR AFTER THE ers is palpable. Earlier this month Kadyrov today is but a small testament to their dedica- KILLING OF NATALYA publicly labeled independent journalists and tion and valor. ESTEMIROVA rights activists as ‘‘traitors and enemies of the state.’’ Among those targeted by the Chechen f HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS leader is the respected Russian rights organi- OF FLORIDA zation Memorial. HONORING THE LATE ARNOLD IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Madam Speaker, as Co-Chairman of the FRIBERG Helsinki Commission I remain concerned over Tuesday, July 20, 2010 the deterioration of the human rights situation Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, in the North Caucasus generally, and HON. JASON CHAFFETZ a year ago this month Natalya Estemirova, the Chechnya specifically. I am not alone in this OF UTAH leading human rights defender in Chechnya regard, as the Council of Europe’s Parliamen- was abducted near her apartment building in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tary Assembly adopted a resolution late last the capital city of Grozny by unidentified men, month on the North Caucasus. The measure Tuesday, July 20, 2010 transported to the neighboring republic of pointed to a series of specific concerns in Ingushetia, and brutally killed. She led a cou- Chechnya against the backdrop of what it Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I rise rageous life of denouncing corruption, calling characterized as ‘‘a climate of pervading fear’’ today to remember and honor the late Arnold for a fair judicial system, and standing up for nurtured by the current authorities: recurrent Friberg, a proud Utahn and world-renowned human rights. For that she was cut down. disappearances of government opponents and artist. Mr. Friberg passed away July 1, 2010 at While her killers may have ended her life, they human rights defenders still remain widely 96 years young, just nine days following an will never silence the voice she brought to unpunished; continuing threats and reprisals, agreement to create the Arnold Friberg Mu- these issues. Ms. Estemirova’s work was well including abductions of relatives of persons seum of Art. The Utah Cultural Arts Founda- known to the Helsinki Commission, which I co- suspected of belonging to illegal armed fac- tion will manage the museum and ensure the chair, and colleagues there recall her 2006 tions; and ongoing intimidation of the media masterpieces of Mr. Friberg will be enjoyed by visit to discuss the situation in Chechnya. Like and civil society, among others. generations to come. Estemirova, all too many of her fellow human Ramzan Kadyrov’s utter contempt for Mr. Friberg’s patriotic depictions of General rights defenders and journalists are targeted human rights and fundamental freedoms was George Washington, his sketches for the because they have the temerity to speak out again manifested recently in his reaction to famed ‘‘The Ten Commandments’’ movie, and about human rights abuses. paintball gun attacks against women on the his paintings of individuals and events from Today, inspired by Estemirova’s work, I in- streets of Grozny apparently because they The Book of Mormon will forever be remem- troduce a measure expressing solidarity with were not wearing headscarves. Instead of bered in this newly created Museum. human rights defenders in the Russian Fed- condemning the assaults, the Chechen presi- In preparation of what became Mr. Friberg’s eration; urging the Russian authorities to take dent reportedly praised the perpetrators. While defining artistic moment, Mr. Friberg traveled appropriate steps to end the harassment, per- Kadyrov has largely been given free rein in to Valley Forge, in the dead of winter, to iden- secution and attacks against activists; and Chechnya, that does not absolve his backers tify with the bitter conditions General George calling for an end to impunity for those respon- in Moscow from responsibility for the deterio- Washington and the Continental Army experi- sible for such acts, including through the con- rating human rights situation in that part of the enced during the winter of 1777–1778. As Mr. ducting of timely, transparent and thorough Russian Federation. Friberg put it, ‘‘Art to me is a service, to bring criminal investigations into the unresolved As a participating State of the Organization enrichment to people’s lives. That’s why I want murders of human rights defenders, journal- for Security and Cooperation in Europe, it is my art to be perfectly understood. One of the ists, and political opposition members and the incumbent upon the Russian authorities to en- things I work for is clarity.’’ The completed prosecution of all of those responsible for sure that fundamental freedoms are respected piece was released during an American bicen- these crimes. throughout the country, including in the North tennial ceremony and captures the very es- The Helsinki Commission has been at the Caucasus. Turning a blind eye to human sence of American pride and patriotism. For forefront of drawing attention to the human rights violations is unacceptable. I urge Presi- those of you who have seen ‘‘The Prayer at rights situation in Chechnya and elsewhere in dent Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin to Valley Forge’’, the suffering, the pressure, and the North Caucasus region of Russia, having take effective measures to stop the harass- General Washington’s faith in America is per- held numerous hearings and briefings. Not- ment, persecution and attacks against human fectly understood and visualized. withstanding the assertions by the powers that activists and journalists in the Russian Federa- be in Moscow that the situation in Chechnya In the 1950’s, Mr. Friberg partnered with tion and to end the impunity for those respon- has returned to normal, the reality on the Hollywood producer Cecil B. DeMille to serve sible for the murder of Natalya Estemirova and ground reveals otherwise. The recently re- as chief artist and designer for DeMille’s epic others. Only then will there be hope that the leased 2009 Country Reports on Human motion-picture, ‘‘The Ten Commandments.’’ situation in Chechnya will return to anything Rights Practices, issued by the Department of Mr. Friberg’s 15 paintings for ‘‘The Ten Com- approaching normal. State, found that the Russian government’s al- mandments’’ served as the pictorial basis for f ready poor human rights record in the North the scenes, characters, and costumes of the Caucasus worsened during the reporting pe- IN HONOR OF PENNSYLVANIA legendary film. For his efforts, Mr. Friberg riod, with a marked increase in extrajudicial STATE REPRESENTATIVE BRYAN earned an Academy Award Nomination in killings by both government and rebel forces BARBIN AND HIS EFFORTS TO 1956. and politically motivated disappearances in RAISE AWARENESS OF TRAU- Other famous works include Mr. Friberg’s Chechnya as well as in neighboring Ingushetia MATIC BRAIN INJURY work for his church, The Church of Jesus and Dagestan. The Helsinki Commission re- Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mr. Friberg painted mains deeply concerned over ongoing human HON. MARK S. CRITZ and designed covers for the children’s maga- rights abuses, legal impunity, and the perme- OF PENNSYLVANIA zine, The Friend, and has depicted well-known ating climate of fear in the North Caucasus. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES scenes and moments from The Book of Mor- While one cannot discount that terrorist ele- mon. These paintings are loved and cele- ments are responsible for some of the rights Tuesday, July 20, 2010 brated by members of the LDS Church around violations in that region, many of the reported Mr. CRITZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to the world. abuses are perpetrated by federal and local recognize the hundreds of thousands of U.S. Mr. Friberg was born in a Chicago suburb, security forces in Chechnya, including the pri- service members and veterans impacted by but by the 1950’s, he was an established resi- vate militia of Chechen strongman Ramzan traumatic brain injuries. dent of Utah. Utah Governor Gary Herbert re- Kadyrov, the republic’s Kremlin-backed presi- Earlier this morning, Congressman BILL cently called Mr. Friberg Utah’s ‘‘adopted dent. While it remains unclear what, if any role PASCRELL and I welcomed Pennsylvania State son.’’ His Utah family will miss him, but his Kadyrov had in Estemirova’s killing, his con- Representative Bryan Barbin to the U.S. Cap- memory and his artwork will live on forever. tempt for her and other human rights defend- itol. Representative Barbin completed a seven- VerDate Mar 15 2010 13:54 Jul 29, 2013 Jkt 089102 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 0689 Sfmt 9920 E:\BR10\E20JY0.000 E20JY0 ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with BOUND RECORD 13502 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 156, Pt. 10 July 20, 2010 day motorcycle ride through seven state cap- The international community has been ac- Specialist Chris Moon leaves behind his itals to raise awareness of the impact of trau- tively involved in developing a solution for the mother Marsha, his father, Brian, and his sis- matic brain injuries, and to deliver the fol- people of Cyprus. However, Turkey has re- ter Sunday. lowing resolution that was adopted by the peatedly ignored all international pressure in- This body and this country owe Chris and House of Representatives of the Common- cluding 75 resolutions that have been adopted his family our deepest gratitude, and we will wealth of Pennsylvania on June 23, 2010. It by the United Nations Security Council