September 28, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1799 I would remind Mr. Christopher that Russian ty Vicarage Advisory Committee. He is a private school in Baileys Crossroads. She and Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov, who ear- founder and life member of the Hindu Cultural her family spent four years in Nong Chai, a lier headed the Russian Foreign Intelligence Society, India Cultural Society, Hindu Mandir refugee camp in that was closed when the Thai government began repatri- Service, has been one of the chief proponents and Bharat Cultural Society. In addition, he ation of the Laotion refugees. of the reestablishment of a Russian sphere of serves as the chairman of the board of trust- She first met Mr. Colby in April 1994 at influence in the newly independent States of ees for the Bharat Cultural Society and the congressional hearings on the plight of the former Soviet Union, the so-called ``near Brahmin Samaj. Hmong refugees in the camps and their abroad.'' Prabhakar Shukla is well respected by his forced repatriation to to face persecu- Should the decide to pursue friends, students, and neighbors. He has dis- tion and possible death for their collabora- a formal charter between NATO and Russia tinguished himself with his contributions to the tion with the CIA. several key issues must be addressed. First, citizens of New Jersey. His success is proof Miss Kue and Mr. Colby kept in contact on the refugee issue, meeting and talking sev- the Russian Federation must not be given a that America is a land of opportunity for all eral times. veto, or implied veto, over the timing or condi- those willing to seize it. I ask that my col- Miss Kue said the death of Mr. Colby will tions for the admission of new members into leagues join me in honoring this outstanding be a significant loss to the Hmong commu- the alliance. Second, such an accord must individual. nity because he was one of the few in official firmly oppose any moves by Moscow to estab- f Washington openly championing their cause. lish ``spheres of influence'' in East Central Eu- ‘‘He was so important to the Hmong be- rope. Third, the charter must in no way im- HONORING AMBASSADOR WILLIAM cause he knew so much of what they did,’’ pede the development of enhanced relations COLBY Miss Kue said. ‘‘He was one of their greatest allies.’’ between NATO and nonmembers, such as The Hmong most likely will never have Ukraine. HON. someone of Mr. Colby’s stature advocating Mr. Speaker, let us now lose sight of the OF their cause again, she said. fact that an essential element of any partner- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Miss Kue said Mr. Colby struck her as an ship is, and must be, trust. The reality is that Friday, September 27, 1996 honorable man who was not afraid to fight much time is needed to heal the wounds in- for what he believed in. flicted by the war in Chechnya and establish Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, General ‘‘He was someone who was willing to stand Moscow's credentials as a trustworthy partner. , the war hero and Colonel up for the truth, for what he knows and what Wangyee Vang, the National President of the he believes in,’’ Miss Kue said. In the meantime, the single greatest contribu- Gen. Pao, who worked side-by-side with tion Russia can make to the construction of an , organized a major event earlier this year to commemorate the Mr. Colby in Laos during the , integrated and Democratic Europe would be to called him ‘‘a good friend to the Hmong peo- consolidate democracy, human rights, and rule sacrifices of the Hmong and Lao combat vet- ple.’’ of law at home. erans. Tragically, Ambassador William Colby, Speaking in a telephone interview from f former Director of the Central Intelligence Fresno, where he is preparing for this week- Agency [CIA], who was slated to speak at this end’s program, Gen. Pao said Mr. Colby will IN HONOR OF PRABHAKAR special event, passed away just prior to it. be sorely missed by the people he fought for: SHUKLA: AN EXEMPLARY INDI- In honor of Ambassador Colby, and the ‘‘Bill Colby’s death is a great loss not only VIDUAL Hmong and Lao veterans who staunchly for all freedom-loving people,’’ Gen. Pao fought as allies of the United States to defend said. ‘‘We are hoping that someone will step forward and fill his shoes.’’ HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ freedom from Southeast Asia, I request to in- During the war, the two men got to know OF NEW JERSEY clude the following article from the Washington each other quite well. ‘‘I told him in great ONGRESSIONAL ECORD IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Times in the C R . respect,’’ Gen. Pao said. [From the Washington Times, May 8, 1996] Philip Smith, a Washington representative Friday, September 27, 1996 REFUGEES FROM LAOS MOURN A FRIEND, for the Lao Veterans of American, said Mr. Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today COLBY Colby was an integral part of the effort to have the wartime work of the Hmong recog- to honor a very distinguished and outstanding (By Gary Scheets) nized. individual from my district. Prabhakar R. Chia Kue was born on the CIA base of Long ‘‘Because Laos is such an obscure country, Shukla has been a devoted father and an ex- Chieng 24 years ago. She remembers eluding Bill Colby was so important and why no one traordinary individual who has inspired many Laotian communist insurgents with her fam- will be able to replace him,’’ Mr. Smith said. of his fellow community members. ily as they followed a trail of refugees out of Mr. Smith said Mr. Colby understood the Mr. Shukla was born in the small village of Laos and into Thailand, where squalid camps contribution of the Hmong and how it fitted Saras in Gujarat, India. He grew up in Saras harbored them until, and if, they were lucky into the geostrategic picture of the Cold enough to get to the United States. War. working on his family farm while receiving his At that same base, William Colby, who education. At the age of 12, he was sent to Mr. Smith, who will attend the Fresno would later direct the Central Intelligence ceremonies this weekend, had planned to fly boarding school to pursue further studies and Agency, staged operations using recruited to California with Mr. Colby. earned a bachelors degree in physics and Hmong soldiers to guard America installa- Now, he said, the seat next to him on the chemistry, a law degree and an education de- tions and fight the North Vietnamese along plane will be empty. the Ho Chi Minh Trail during the Vietnam gree. He also received a Vishard, an ad- f vanced degree in Hindi and Sanskrit from War. Miss Kue’s father was a Hmong soldier SOCIAL SECURITY Beneras Hindu University. In 1958, he married fighting under Maj. Gen. Vang Pao, com- a wonderful woman, Hasumati, and had one mander of the Region Two, son. In 1962, he left India to work as a prin- who took his direction from Mr. Colby. HON. THOMAS E. PETRI cipal at a high school in Africa for 4 years and This Saturday and Sunday, thousands of OF WISCONSIN Hmong combat veterans and refugee families then worked in England as a teacher for 6 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES years. In 1970, he came to the United States will gather in Fresno, Calif., to pay tribute with his family working as a substitute teacher, to Mr. Colby. At the event, originally de- Friday, September 27, 1996 salesman, and insurance agent. Through hard signed as a ceremony to honor the actions of Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I intro- Hmong soldiers, Mr. Colby was scheduled to work and dedication, he became a full time attend and present commendations and cita- duced legislation, H.R. 4215, to help put the teacher. For the past 16 years, he has taught tions. Social Security system on a better financial physics and chemistry at East Orange High Instead, Hmong tribal and military honors footing while providing future Americans with School, has been chairman of the science de- will be staged in remembrance of Mr. Colby, the peace of mind that comes with their own partment, and has been recognized as an out- whose body was found Monday along the retirement account which is their personal standing teacher. banks of the Wicomico River. Authorities be- property. As an active member of his community, Mr. lieve Mr. Colby drowned after his canoe cap- My bill will establish a retirement account for Shukla has sought to contribute to the vitality sized nine days earlier. each newborn American citizen, initially worth The Maryland State Medical Examiner’s of Hudson County and its residents. He is a Office won’t have autopsy results until the $1,000. The money for the initial $1,000 is to member of the North Bergen Planning Board, end of the week. come from the sale of Government assets. the Hudson County Commissioner of Human Miss Kue, of Arlington, is a first-grade This amount is to be invested in the same Relations and a member of the Hudson Coun- teacher at the Fairfax Brewster School, a manner, and with the same choices, as the