U.S. House of Representatives Supports Humanitarian Mission Into Kosovo

  United Nations, International Red Cross Mission will give hope to starving refugees trapped in Kosovo, and provide world with the first independent assessment of conditions within Kosovo

Washington, D.C. - - The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation authored by U.S. Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX) to support a humanitarian mission into Kosovo to assess the humanitarian and emergency needs of the more than 600,000 ethnic Albanians trapped within the embattled Yugoslavian province. 

"While hundreds of thousands of families have fled Kosovo, an equal number remain fighting disease and starvation while lacking water and medical care. They need hope, and the world needs to know now their true condition so that we stand a chance of saving their lives," said Brady.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the last food delivery to the displaced and at risk Kosovo Albanian population occurred eight weeks ago.

"Hiding in the hills without food, water and medical care for nearly two months, these families and their children are fighting to survive. Every day counts for them," said Brady. 

A 13 member United Nations humanitarian delegation, which includes the International Red Cross and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, had been seeking security and access assurances from the Yugoslavian government. The delegation, headed by Sergio Vierio de Mello, U.N. Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, arrived in Belgrade on Monday and is expected to head to the Kosovar region tomorrow. They are attempting to provide the first independent confirmation of conditions within Kosovo and Montenegro. They would also help the international community prepare for the potentially massive emergency needs of the estimated 600,000 to 800,000 ethnic Albanians remaining in the region.

Rep. Brady's measure, which attracted strong bi-partisan support from members of the House International Relations Committee, urges the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to provide the necessary security assurances and freedom of access for the mission. It also encourages member nations of NATO to consider reasonable measures to enhance the safety of this international delegation during it's brief humanitarian mission.

The legislation supports the humanitarian mission to objectively assess critical needs in the areas of human rights protection, food, security, nutrition, health, water and sanitation, and condition of the civilian population.  The mission is also seeking to accurately determine the number, location, and requirements of the people in Kosovo and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia needing immediate and future humanitarian aid.