H11630 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 14, 2005 had been executed, hundreds of thousands tions. Families were separated by send- CONDEMNING THE GOVERNMENT more were victims of starvation and malnutri- ing men, women and children into var- OF ZIMBABWE’S ‘‘OPERATION tion. ious labor camps, scattered throughout MURAMBATSVINA’’ Some Cambodians were fortunate enough that country. Famine and disease were Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. to escape the madness and brutality of the epidemic between April of 1975 and Jan- Speaker, I move to suspend the rules Cambodian Genocide, making their way as uary of 1979. Cambodians watched hun- and agree to the resolution (H. Res. refugees to various Southeast Asian nations. dreds of thousands of their loved ones 409) condemning the Government of Nearly 150,000 Cambodians ultimately reset- die by starvation and thousands more Zimbabwe’s ‘‘Operation tled in the United States, and today, there are by torture. Murambatsvina’’ under which homes, more than 200,000 Americans of Cambodian When the Khmer Rouge was over- businesses, religious structures, and descent. thrown in 1979 by Vietnamese troops, other buildings and facilities were de- As Cambodians build new lives in the thousands of Cambodians fled to near- molished in an effort characterized by United States, it is appropriate and timely for by refugee camps in Thailand and to the Government of Zimbabwe as an op- the Congress to recognize the victims of the camps in the Philippines and Indo- eration to ‘‘restore order’’ to the coun- Cambodian Genocide, and to welcome the es- nesia. As many as 145,000-plus coura- try, as amended. tablishment of an international criminal tribunal geous Cambodians made their way to The Clerk read as follows: to bring long-overdue justice to the perpetra- the United States. H. RES. 409 tors of the Cambodian genocide. With the assistance of the Federal Whereas on May 19, 2005, the Government Mr. Speaker, the international tribunal estab- Government, State, local and vol- of Zimbabwe launched ‘‘Operation lished for Cambodia is not a perfect institution, untary agencies, Cambodians were re- Murambatsvina’’, translated from the Shona and only time will tell if those who carried out settled in communities across Amer- language as ‘‘Operation Drive Out the Trash’’, in major cities and suburbs through- the genocide will be brought to justice. It re- ica. Despite the tremendous loss of mains our profound hope that the work of the out Zimbabwe in an effort that it character- family members, homes and parts of ized as an operation to ‘‘restore order’’ to the tribunal will be carried out according to inter- their heritage, Cambodians have shown country; national standards of justice. enormous resiliency. Whereas hours after the Governor of the Mr. Speaker, nearly 1 in 7 Cambodians lost Their culture and contributions to Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe called for an end their lives during the horrible 4 years of Khmer America continue each day to enrich to the parallel market, Operation Rouge rule. With passage of this resolution, our society, and I am immensely proud Murambatsvina began in the city of Harare we remember the innocent victims of the and subsequently in other urban areas, such that the largest Cambodian presence in as the city of Bulawayo, ostensibly to oust genocide, and hope that justice prevails. the United States resides in my dis- Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to sup- illegal vendors and eliminate illegal struc- trict. tures; port this resolution. Cambodians have been awaiting jus- Whereas Operation Murambatsvina was Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as tice for over a quarter of a century, carried out as an indiscriminate demolition she might consume to the gentle- and it now seems that the opportunity of the homes and livelihood of thousands of woman from California (Ms. will soon arise. The United Nations has Zimbabwean citizens already suffering from MILLENDER-MCDONALD), my dear friend taken steps to establish an inter- a protracted economic and political crisis and distinguished colleague, the author brought on by poor policy directives by the national tribunal in 2007 to bring jus- of this important piece of legislation. Government of Zimbabwe that forced masses tice to the perpetrators of the Cam- Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD. Mr. of rural dwellers to urban areas of the coun- bodian genocide. The government of Speaker, I would like to thank the gen- try for survival; Cambodia seems poised to proceed. Whereas in some communities that were tleman from New Jersey (Mr. SMITH), It is my sincere hope that the Cam- victimized by the forced demolitions, includ- the chairman, for his dedication and bodian tribunal, once it is up and run- ing Cheru Farm and Killarney Farm where commitment to this issue, along with ning, will ensure that justice is finally more than 20,000 people lived, Zimbabweans my friend the gentleman from Cali- had lived in residences for over 20 years and served, and that those who perpetrated fornia (Mr. LANTOS), the ranking mem- had well-functioning schools, health and the genocide against innocent Cam- ber, for his ongoing support of this HIV/AIDS clinics, orphanages for AIDS-af- bodians will finally be punished for piece of legislation, and Mr. Speaker, I fected children, viable businesses, places of their heinous acts. Mr. Speaker, the 10s thank you for the opportunity to ad- worship, and other amenities; of thousands of Cambodian Americans Whereas in 1993, the Government of dress this issue that is incredibly im- who lost loved ones to the killing fields Zimbabwe moved families from Cheru Farms portant to all Cambodian Americans. to a new location, Porto Farm, which during The tragic history of over 1.7 million deserve no less. So I urge all of my colleagues to sup- Operation Murambatsvina was demolished Cambodian men, women and children by Zimbabwean Government forces; who died during the Khmer Rouge rule port this resolution, and again, I thank Whereas government security forces car- in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979 is uncon- both the chairman and the ranking ried out Operation Murambatsvina, and in scionable. The inhumanity of the member. doing so, beat residents and forced them to Khmer Rouge regime and the Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I again destroy their own homes and places of busi- harrowing events of the killing fields want to commend my friend from Cali- ness, though many residents provided per- mits from municipal authorities granting there still touch every Cambodian fornia for taking up this most impor- tant issue. We have no further requests permission to build their structures; American family. They live each day Whereas Operation Murambatsvina re- with the indelible scars of lost mothers for time, and I yield back the balance sulted in the demolition throughout the and fathers, brothers and sisters, and of our time. country of homes, businesses, and religious other loved ones. Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. structures, including a mosque, and an AIDS While the tragedy can never be re- Speaker, we have no further requests orphanage and in the intimidation, harass- versed, America’s recognition of the 1.7 for time, and I yield back the balance ment, and arrest of tens of thousands of peo- million lives lost is important to the of our time. ple; Whereas Operation Murambatsvina cut off hundred of thousands of survivors that The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by many AIDS patients from anti-retroviral now call America home. medicines which will likely lead to a rever- My legislation, H. Con. Res. 238, com- the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. sal of their health, resistance to the drugs, memorates the victims of the Khmer SMITH) that the House suspend the and a more virulent form of AIDS in Rouge genocide. rules and agree to the concurrent reso- Zimbabwe with potential for spreading In 1975, a large-scale insurgency took lution, H. Con. Res. 238, as amended. throughout the region and worldwide; place, resulting in the forced removal The question was taken; and (two- Whereas churches and private citizens of local Cambodians from their villages thirds having voted in favor thereof) sheltering the victims of Operation and into labor camps in an attempt by the rules were suspended and the con- Murambatsvina were also intimidated, har- assed, and arrested for their efforts to pro- the Khmer Rouge to restructure soci- current resolution, as amended, was vide a safe haven for the victims during ety. agreed to. Zimbabwe’s harsh winter; The Khmer Rouge maintained con- A motion to reconsider was laid on Whereas armed soldiers and police forcibly trol by mass public tortures and execu- the table. removed hundreds of homeless people from VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:28 Dec 15, 2005 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00124 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A14DE7.146 H14DEPT1 December 14, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H11631 churches in the city of Bulawayo and banned Whereas the United Nations special envoy and to provide the international community religious groups from providing humani- assessed the negative impact of Operation with a viable strategy to address the prob- tarian assistance to those seeking shelter at Murambatsvina on shelter, water and sanita- lems; Hellensvale, a transit camp north of tion, food and nutrition, basic health serv- (C) calls on the Government of Zimbabwe Zimbabwe’s second city, and where police ar- ices, HIV/AIDS, education, women and girls, to allow international humanitarian organi- rested and detained religious leaders; refugees and other vulnerable groups; zations access to those affected by the oper- Whereas a strongly worded statement Whereas the special envoy concluded that ation who are in need of food, medicine, shel- issued by the Bulawayo clergy stated: ‘‘The Operation Murambatsvina ‘‘has rendered ter, sanitation, and water; removal of the poor, innocent, weak, voice- people homeless and economically destitute (D) calls on the Government of Zimbabwe less and vulnerable members of society by on an unprecedented scale; most of the vic- to hold accountable those responsible for riot police in the middle of the night was tims were already among the most economi- this egregious injury to the Zimbabwean uncalled for and unnecessary.