Congressional Record—Senate S1011
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
February 11, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1011 While some have asserted that the presi- We remain committed to providing the re- the eleventh time in the body’s 84-year dent and his senior advisers may have exag- sources that are necessary for the comple- history—to examine violations of trade gerated or manipulated prewar intelligence tion of the ISG work. union rights in Belarus. Meanwhile, on Iraq’s WMD programs, Dr. Kay reached Dr. Kay, I thank you for your public serv- the Parliamentary Assembly of the the following conclusion, which I think is ice once again. different. Council of Europe’s Committee on f As you stated recently, quote, ‘‘We have to Legal Affairs and Human Rights unani- remember that this view of Iraq (prewar as- BELARUSIAN AUTHORITIES mously ratified a report on political sessment of WMD capabilities) was held dur- CONTINUE TO STIFLE DEMOCRACY disappearances in Belarus. The just-re- ing the Clinton administration and did not leased report severely criticizes the change in the Bush administration. It is not Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, as Belarusian authorities, stating that a political got-you issue. Often estimates are co-chairman of the Commission on Se- ‘‘steps were taken at the highest level different than reality. The important thing curity and Cooperation in Europe, I of the State actively to cover up the is when they differ to understand why,’’ end want to update colleagues on develop- quote. disappearances’’ of several high- ments in the Republic of Belarus, a profile members of the opposition in That’s precisely why I called this meeting, country with the poorest human rights Dr. Kay, to continue the work of this com- 1999 to 2000 and that senior Belarusian mittee in developing a body of fact from record of any country in Europe today. officials may be involved. which reasonable people, at the conclusion of In the last year, Belarusian dictator Last year I introduced the Belarus that collection of facts, can reach their own Lukashenka’s assault on civil society Democracy Act of 2003, S. 700, which is objective thoughts and conclusions. It’s been has steadily intensified, with the liq- designed to help promote democratic a difficult process but the ISG work is not uidation of NGOs, violence against op- completed. development, human rights and rule of position activists, and repression of the law in the Republic of Belarus, as well Now, you have stated that you believe independent media and trade unions. there did not exist large stockpiles of bio- as encourage the consolidation and logical and chemical weapons. But I hope The situation in Belarus continues its strengthening of Belarus’ sovereignty that you will, in your testimony, indicate downward spiral with daily reports of and independence. that since work is not completed, since Iraq growing repression and new human While some might be tempted to dis- is as big as California and Baghdad approxi- rights violations. miss Belarus as an anomaly, the stakes mates the sprawling territory of Los Ange- Since the beginning of the still rel- are too high and the costs too great to les, that we could find caches and reserves of atively new year, NGOs such as the weapons of mass destruction, chemical or bi- ignore. It is important for us to stay Belarusian Language Society and the the course and support Belarus in be- ological or even further evidence about their Belarusian Helsinki Committee have nuclear program. coming a genuine European state, in WARNER: We also would hope that you’d stepped up harassment. The Minsk City which respect for human rights and de- address the question of whether or not Sad- Court has ordered the liquidation of mocracy is the norm and in which the dam Hussein had some kind of, quote, the Independent Association of Legal long-suffering Belarusian people are ‘‘breakout capability’’ for quickly producing Research. Leaders of the opposition able to overcome the legacy of dicta- chemical or biological weapons, and was this ‘‘Five Plus’’ bloc, who are in Wash- torship—past and present. The Belarus not a basis for constituting a conclusion that ington this week, were recently de- Democracy Act—which enjoys bipar- there was an imminent threat from Saddam tained and searched by customs offi- Hussein and his military? tisan support—is an important, con- Why were the Iraq WMD records system- cials at the Polish-Belarusian border. crete way to exhibit our support. I urge ically looted or destroyed? And why do sci- The officials were reportedly looking colleagues to support this measure and entists in custody today continue not to be for printed, audio or video materials look forward to timely consideration of forthcoming if there was nothing to hide or that could ‘‘damage the political and the Belarus Democracy Act. nothing substantial existed? economic interests of the country.’’ f The work of the Iraq Survey Group has Human rights activists or independent shown that Saddam Hussein had WMD inten- journalists such as Natalya Kolyada, AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN tions, had WMD programs that did survive, COLOMBIA and did outwit for 12 years the United Na- Nina Davydowskaya, Iryna tional Security Council and the resolutions— Makavetskaya, Aksana Novikava and Mr. DODD. Mr. President, it has been indeed, the inspections, in large measure. Aleksandr Silitsky continue to be sub- almost a year since three Americans— If ultimately, the findings of the Iraq Sur- jected to threats, detentions or heavy Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell, and vey Group do differ from the prewar assess- fines. Others, including activists of the Thomas Howes—were taken hostage by ments of our intelligence community, differ youth group ZUBR, have been arrested the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Co- from assessments of the United Nations, dif- for holding an unauthorized picket de- lombia, FARC. The presence of Amer- fer from assessments of intelligence services manding a thorough investigation of of many other nations, indeed that is cause ican hostages in Colombia is deeply for concern. But we are not there yet in the disappearances of three democratic troubling, and one can only imagine terms of the totality of fact on which to opposition members Yuri Zakharenka, the struggles and trials that these draw such serious conclusions. Victor Gonchar, Anatoly Krasovsky, three brave individuals have had to en- Today and tomorrow, our policy-makers and journalist Dmitri Zavadsky. dure since their plane crashed in the must be able to rely on the intelligence they Independent media outlets also con- Colombian jungle last year on Feb- are provided. The safety and security of the tinue to feel the wrath of the powers ruary 13. I rise today to again call at- men and women of the armed forces are de- that be, including libel proceedings pendent on intelligence and, indeed, the se- tention to their plight and urge the curity of our Nation. against Narodnaya Volya, Belarus’ Bush administration and Colombian So collectively, all of us—the Congress, the largest independent daily; the confisca- Government to do everything possible executive branch and other nations—we tion of Asambleya, a bulletin of the As- to gain their release. must vigorously continue to pursue the col- sembly of the Belarusian Democratic There is no higher priority than find- lection of the facts, as the ISC is doing, and NGOs; the refusal by the Belarusian ing a way to bring these three Ameri- upon that completion, then draw our conclu- Postal Service to distribute the inde- cans home safely, and I know that all sions and take such corrective measures as pendent newspaper Regionalniye of our prayers remain with them and may be necessary. WARNER: As we speak, over 1,400 individ- Novosti; the confiscation of copies, in their families during these difficult uals—military and civilian—are on the the town of Smorgon, of the inde- times. For the families of Marc, Keith, ground in Iraq seeking the facts about Iraq’s pendent newspaper, Mestnaya Gazeta; and Tom, this past year has been a WMD programs. I have confidence in the and the censoring of the independent heart wrenching experience. I have a commitment and the ability of General Day- newspaper Volnaya Hlybokaye in the special interest in the fate of Marc ton, Mr. Duelfer, your successor, and rep- Vitebsk region. Several Jewish ceme- Gonsalves, whose mother, Jo Rosano, is resentatives from our coalition partners to teries are being destroyed, Baptist con- a Connecticut resident. Marc’s father, complete this mission. They have some of gregations are being fined and Krishna the best and brightest of our military and George Gonsavales, is also a resident of our intelligence community to complete this followers detained. our State. task. And Congress has provided the nec- In an unusual step, the International At every opportunity, I have worked essary means, a very substantial appropria- Labor Organization, ILO, has estab- to bring about the release of these tion of recent. lished a commission of inquiry—only three Americans. Indeed, over the last VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:53 Jan 29, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2004SENATE\S11FE4.REC S11FE4 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY.