13557: Karshan: Cong. Lee wants Amb. Noreiga to retract statements (Cong. Lee press release) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

News from Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Ninth Congressional District, California
U.S. House of Representatives

Press Release
www.house.gov/lee
For Immediate Release
Contact: Stuart Chapman
November 1, 2002
202-225-2661

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Lee joined in with other members of the
Congressional Black Caucus calling on President Bush and Secretary of State
Colin Powell to retract statements made by U.S. Ambassador to the
Organization of American States, Mr. Roger Noreiga.  At a public meeting of
the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington, D.C. public policy think tank,
Ambassador Noreiga questioned the integrity of Haitian President Jean
Bertrand Aristide to work cooperatively with the United States to fulfill
international agreements.

A member of the Congressional Black Caucus' (CBC) Haiti Task Force,
Congresswoman Lee agreed with the comments of Congresswoman Carrie Meek,
Task Force Chair.  Meek wrote Bush, "We deplore such derisive comments
coming from senior US officials at a time when the Government of Haiti has
done nothing but demonstrate good faith in its dealings with the US, the
Organization of American States and the International Financial
Institutions.  It has been no less than six weeks since the OAS passed a
resolution applauding the Government of Haiti's work to stabilize the
country and establish a climate for new elections next year.  And yet the US
gives them no credit."

In her own letter to Bush, Lee appealed to Bush for a more humane response
to Haitian refugees, "As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus' Haiti
Task Force, and a sponsor of legislation to support Haiti through
humanitarian relief, I implore you to change the current policy toward
Haitian refugees and to immediately release all Haitians seeking asylum who
are currently being detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
The desperation of the Haitians seeking asylum is apparent:  they are
risking their lives, and the futures of their families to have a chance at a
better life."

Lee also demanded that Bush immigration policies avoid any suggestion of
racial discrimination.  Lee told Bush, "United States' policies on
immigration must be color-blind."

The Congressional Black Caucus has already made attempts to work with the
Bush Administration to improve the conditions of asylum seekers from Cuba,
Nicaragua, Africa, and Venezuela:  Haiti should be no different.

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