TEXT: TAFT 2/24 REMARKS AT HOUSE INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS PANEL
(Refugee issues are a global concern)

Washington -- Refugee issues are a global concern, according to Julia Taft, assistant secretary of state for population, refugees, and migration.

"Although the United States accepts for resettlement and assists more refugees than any other nation, it is of vital importance that our efforts be made in a multilateral context," Taft said in February 24 remarks before the House International Relations Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights. "We must lead, but we must also coordinate and leverage the contributions of our partners in this shared effort."

"For most refugees, resettlement in the United States and other countries is not the best solution," Taft said. "Repatriation is the preferable and most viable option for both the refugees and countries where they enjoy asylum. What is needed is assistance in first asylum situations and then assistance with repatriation and reintegration on their return home."

The "fair and just completion" of the Resettlement Opportunity for Vietnamese Returnees (ROVR) and Orderly Departure Programs in Vietnam is one of the highest priorities for the United States, according to Taft.

"We are committed to completing ROVR interviews quickly and expect that the majority of approved cases will depart Vietnam for the U.S. by the end of this year," she said.

Taft also stressed the importance of integrating humanitarian and conflict resolution programs, assuring the sustainability of repatriation and reintegration activities, and ensuring adherence to international humanitarian principles in repatriation efforts.

Following is the text of Taft's remarks:

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TESTIMONY OF
ASSISTANT SECRETARY JULIA TAFT
BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEES, AND MIGRATION
DEPARTMENT OF STATE

BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 24, 1998

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I am particularly honored and pleased to be able to appear before you today to discuss our FY 99 budget request and the role we play as a nation in assisting refugees throughout the world. That world remains a dangerous place for the weak and defenseless who are caught up in tragedies and victimized by hatreds they little understand.

We are here today to discuss these issues, not only because it is in the national interest of the United States to have a peaceful and orderly world, but because of who we are as a people. The Secretary has identified the provision of humanitarian assistance to victims of crisis and disaster as one of the seven core goals of U.S. foreign policy.

FY 99 BUDGET REQUEST

Mr. Chairman, the administration understands that we can continue to help refugees only if we, the U.S. Congress, and the American people move forward together. We are grateful to you, Mr. Chairman, and to this committee for your continuing and energetic support of the Department's programs and funding requests over the years.

In FY 99 we are requesting $650 million in the Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) category and $20 million for Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA). Our MRA funding request has been straightlined over the last several years even though the overall number of refugees worldwide has declined as durable solutions, such as repatriation, have taken hold. We think this level of funding is sufficient to meet the needs as we currently see them. The fact that there has been a diminishing need to tap the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance fund reinforces our belief that the requested levels for FY '99 are adequate. We continue to monitor the refugee assistance needs worldwide and the requests for assistance by the UNHCR and other program partners to ensure they receive support adequate to ensure acceptable levels of aid to refugees.

In this budget we want to do all we can to address real assistance and protection needs of refugees. The bottom line in the MRA account for overseas assistance has been increased by $9 million, largely to expand programs addressing the special needs of refugee children. We will continue to work with UNHCR, ICRC, NGOs and others to make the most effective use of the resources we have at hand.

Our FY 99 request for a $20 million replenishment of the ERMA account is a reduction from the $50 million level we have sought in previous years, and reflects the fact that there is a current balance in the account of $120 million -- already $20 million above the permanently authorized ERMA level of $100 million. Although it would be impossible to predict its use, we anticipate that with the large current balance, the proposed additional $20 million for ERMA will provide the President sufficient flexibility to respond to unforeseen emergencies.

With regard to the Population portfolio of PRM, while the Bureau is a focal point for population policy, you understand that all program and associated staff costs are paid through other government accounts.

REFUGEE ADMISSIONS

MRA funds provide for the care and maintenance of refugees abroad and for the admission of large numbers of refugees to the United States. The level of refugee admissions in FY99 will likely also be in the same range as that for FY98. This level reflects our best efforts to identify needs throughout the world and match them to resources in the U.S. available to sustain resettlement.

We are concentrating on streamlining and otherwise improving the efficiency of our processing operations so that we might maximize the number of admissions. Applications from persons eligible for our in-country program in the former Soviet Union have decreased dramatically, allowing processing to become "current" before the end of the fiscal year and monthly interviews to drop by 75%. I plan to visit Moscow and Kiev within the next few weeks in order to review current conditions as we determine what direction our refugee processing operation should take.

Currently, our single largest admissions program is for Bosnians and we expect to easily reach or even exceed 25,000 admissions -- mainly involving mixed-marriages or other conditions which minimize chances for repatriation in the foreseeable future.

ROVR

One of our highest priorities is the fair and just completion of the ROVR (Resettlement Opportunity for Vietnamese Returnees) and Orderly Departure Programs in Vietnam. To highlight their importance, in January I traveled to Vietnam to discuss with Vietnamese officials ways to expedite the processing of the remaining cases.

As you know, last October Vietnam announced that it was taking steps to accelerate procedures to clear ROVR applicants for interview. These new procedures have resulted in the clearance for interview of nearly 14,000 ROVR applicants, of an estimated 18,000 eligible for the program, during the past four months. During my discussions in Hanoi, Vietnam agreed to further program modifications including: expedited passport issuance and other departure clearance procedures for INS-approved ROVR cases; processing the remaining cases on the U.S. interview lists; and providing information on the 3,000 people who cannot be located or otherwise cleared for interview.

We are committed to completing ROVR interviews quickly and expect that the majority of approved cases will depart Vietnam for the U.S. by the end of this year.

ODP AND McCAIN AMENDMENT

Also of vital importance to the U.S. is the completion of the remaining former reeducation detainees caseload in Vietnam, including the cases of Montagnards. To complete this processing, the Administration requests the support of the Congress for a quick extension of the McCain Amendment which provides for the admission of the single children over 21 of former reeducation camp detainees. This provision expired on September 30, 1997, but we believe it should be extended until March 31, 1999 in order to permit the humane conclusion of this program.

OTHER PROGRAMS

In Africa, we are making a concerted effort -- with UNHCR, with U.S. embassies, and with our NGO partners -- to increase accessibility to our programs to reach those populations for whom resettlement is the only viable option.

Elsewhere in the world, we coordinate closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other members of the international community in order to enhance the process through which selections are made. The United States was instrumental in creating a forum in Geneva for an ongoing dialogue with UNHCR and other governments to focus attention on resettlement needs worldwide.

REFUGEE ASSISTANCE

For most refugees, resettlement in the United States and other countries is not the best solution. Repatriation is the preferable and most viable option for both the refugees and countries where they enjoy asylum. What is needed is assistance in first asylum situations and then assistance with repatriation and reintegration on their return home. Following are examples of the types of situations in which we will be providing assistance.

AFRICA

On the eve of the President's visit to Africa, I am pleased to note that there has been a significant decline in the number of refugees in Africa. Only about one-quarter of the world's refugees (some 3.5 million) are found across the continent. Recent large-scale refugee returns to countries such as Mozambique and Rwanda as well as smaller-scale, but no less welcome, returns to countries such as Togo, Mali, and Somalia have brought the numbers down. However, the relatively encouraging picture on repatriation and reintegration is clouded by continuing outflows of desperate refugees from conflict-stricken places such as Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Sudan. Ensuring safe access by relief workers to assist vulnerable populations caught in conflict zones will be a major concern of PRM in the months ahead. The deliberate targeting of humanitarian workers and the UN and NGO communities by rebel forces is a major issue. We are working hard to restore respect for refugee protection, the UNHCR and humanitarian workers who are on the front lines of saving lives in the most desperate of situations.

In FY 97, almost one-third of all our overseas assistance went to Africa. A similar level will be devoted to Africa this year and in FY '99 as well. This reflects both the complexity and the magnitude of the difficulties faced in that part of the world.

BOSNIA

Bosnia provides an excellent example of where PRM objectives and program activities have been effectively integrated into overall U.S. foreign policy strategy. The Administration has recognized that the return of refugees and displaced persons to Bosnia is a central element in successful implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. High level meetings on Bosnian peace implementation have endorsed specific measures designed to increase refugee return to their original homes, particularly in areas where they would be in the ethnic minority.

PRM assistance programs in support of the "Open Cities" initiative, implemented by UNHCR and NGO's, have played a crucial role in opening up possibilities for minority returns that contribute to the difficult, but vital, task of building a peaceful, multi-ethnic Bosnia. There were 30,000 minority returns in 1997 and the outlook is even brighter for progress in 1998. PRM programs in Bosnia and other parts of the Former Yugoslavia will again this year support the increased efforts of the international community and other donors to make 1998 "The year of minority return."

REFUGEE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

PRM provides general and program specific funding to UNHCR and NGOs which include in their programs a broad range of primary health care services for refugees. Basically, these include maternal and child health care, safe motherhood services, prenatal, postnatal care, well baby education, emergency obstetrics and gynecological care, including treatment of complications from unsafe abortions, miscarriage complications, prevention and management of the consequences of sexual and gender based violence, prevention and care of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV-AIDS, and family planning information, supplies and services. Neither the U.S. government nor UNHCR provide or promote abortion in refugee camps.

The majority of refugees are women and children. Sadly, refugee women often lack even the most minimal elements of reproductive health care, and yet are at even greater risk of sexual violence, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, and pregnancy complications by the very nature of their refugee status. Rape of refugee women and girls is a very serious problem from both a protection and health perspective; miscarriages and self-induced abortions are, unfortunately, all too common. Our policies and guidelines on protection and assistance to refugee women recognize that refugee women need greater protection from violence and better health care.

MIGRATION

As international migration has become more complex in this decade, the United States must address the full range of migration policy issues. U.S. international migration policy aims to promote sound migration management which balances governmental respect for human rights of migrants with governmental responsibility to maintain territorial security. MRA funds will support activities to promote international cooperation on migration issues with a special emphasis on protection for those in need of it. We have launched a pilot program in trafficking of women and will look in '99 for other opportunities to promote cooperation regionally on priority issues of asylum policies, human rights of migrants and humane approaches to deportation.

CHALLENGES AHEAD

While we are doing a lot, much remains to be done, both to improve our current efforts and to create a more effective framework for assistance in the future.

-- Although the United States accepts for resettlement and assists more refugees than any other nation, it is of vital importance that our efforts be made in a multilateral context. We must lead, but we must also coordinate and leverage the contributions of our partners in this shared effort.

-- We must do all we can to assure the security of relief workers who are on the front lines to implement the efforts we are funding.

-- We must work to assure that repatriation and reintegration activities are sustainable so that tragedies do not repeat themselves.

-- We must strive to integrate humanitarian programs into conflict resolution situations, as is being done in Bosnia, in order to create incentives for reconciliation.

-- We have seen an alarming disregard for international humanitarian principles. In parts of Africa, for example, refugees have been forcibly repatriated to places where their very lives were at risk; borders have been closed; access by international agencies has been denied by insecurity and by local authorities; refugee camps have been attacked and misused by armed elements. We cannot allow this to continue.

-- In all our efforts, we must be sure that the assistance reaches the most vulnerable, with appropriate focus on the needs of women and children.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, I would like to restate our appreciation to this committee and to all in Congress who support our mutual efforts to alleviate some of the world's pain by assisting refugees. I urge you and your staff to review carefully our Congressional Presentation Document which goes into detail on all these matters.

I would like to invite and urge you and your colleagues and staff to travel to see PRM-supported activities in the field, to see where the money goes and the people it is helping. In this way you can help us refine our thinking and direct our programs to the people and places that need them most.

Thank you, and I will be happy to answer your questions.

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