Date: 2003-07-08
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. let me first of all thank the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus for his leadership on African issues and particularly on this Liberian issue. and- let me thank the gentleman from New Jersey . who has been one of the leaders in the Congressional Black Caucus and Chair of our African subcommittee. for his leadership. The Bush administration sent troops to Iraq. for. so they claim. so they claim. humanitarian reasons. Our troops went over there to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people. to liberate the Iraqi people from a tyrant. to bring justice to the people of that nation. so they claim. At this very moment. leaders in the United Nations. leaders in various African nations. members of the Congressional Black Caucus. members of the human rights community worldwide. are pleading with the President to send peacekeeping troops to Liberia. Yet the President set off for Africa without any intentions of even visiting Liberia and without bothering to consult with members of the Congressional Black Caucus about his trip. many of whom have worked on issues pertaining to Africa for decades. As you know. Liberia has always been a faithful ally of the United States. Both nations share close historic ties. Liberia in fact was founded by free slaves from the United States in 1820. The capital. Monrovia. is named after a United States President. James Monroe. Unfortunately. the situation in Liberia has turned chaotic. Nonemergency staff at the United States embassy were evacuated when fighting broke out in the capital between government troops and rebels. Hundreds of Liberians have been killed and thousands have been wounded. The fighting is not over. Tens of thousands of others have been driven from their homes and aid workers say that up to 1 million Liberians may. end up displaced. This recent conflict is nothing new. This is a country that has been suffering from civil war for years. About 200.000 Liberians died in fighting during 7 years of war in the 1990s. We have been successful in drawing attention. thanks to. the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus and others. both nationally and internationally. The CBC has been strong in its efforts to encourage the Bush administration that the United States play an active role in the conflict in Liberia. especially before it spreads to other nations in West Africa. We do not want this fighting to spread to other West African countries. Let me repeat that. Liberia is now making headlines in newspaper and TV news across the country. making people around the United States aware of the conflict and forcing the administration to put it on their radar screen. Recently the U.N. secretary asked the U.S. to play a bigger role. African countries and others have pledged up to 3.000 troops if the United States helps out. On all borders of Liberia. the Europeans are showing that peacekeeping missions can be successful. Clearly. our Nation plays an influential role in world politics. We saw that many jimes in the past and recently in Europe. And. remember. the State Department. when they argued for intervention for a. European country. they always say it is for humanitarian reasons. We do not want it to spread to other countries. So why . should Africa be given the same treatment? The situation in Liberia is critical. and this is a perfect time for the United States to play a leading role in bringing about an end to the misery and suffering of the Liberian people. In closing. my favorite scripture is "To whom God has given much. much is expected." We are expecting that the administration will come forward and help the suffering Liberian people.