CRS Urges Congress to Retain Relief and Reconstruction Support for Liberia, Afghanistan in Supplemental BillCatholic Relief Services Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is urging Congress to ensure critical relief and reconstruction needs in Afghanistan and Liberia are funded in the FY 2004 supplemental appropriations bill. In a letter to the House and Senate conferences committee for the supplemental appropriations bill, CRS Chairman Bishop Robert N. Lynch urged the committee to retain the House version of the supplemental regarding Afghanistan, which calls for a nearly $400 million increase in resources to the country, as well as the Senate and House levels of support for Liberia, which call for $200 million for reconstruction and $245 million for peacekeeping, respectively.  "Even as you consider important appropriations for Iraq in the conference, I hope you will consider these critical additional needs in Afghanistan and Liberia," Bishop Lynch wrote in the letter dated October 24th. "In all three nations, I strongly recommend employing U.S. [private voluntary organizations] and faith-based organizations that have the track records and capacity to provide relief, initiate recovery and build peace." Bishop Lynch, who noted he was echoing Archbishop Michael Francis of Monrovia and other religious leaders, urged the committee, "to provide relief and recovery aid as well as financial support for UN peacekeeping operations" for the war-torn West African nation. "At this critical time, the United States has a unique and historically significant opportunity to help bring peace and stability to Liberia and the region, and hope to the millions of people who have been most affected by this conflict," Bishop Lynch wrote. "If we do not provide this assistance now, the people of Liberia will not receive significant assistance until FY 2005, and will face a needlessly prolonged period of deprivation and insecurity." In addressing Afghanistan, Bishop Lynch noted that the worsening security situation in the country "portends a return to conflict and chaos and gravely impedes the delivery of humanitarian and recovery aid." The $400 million outlined in House version of the supplemental would, Bishop Lynch wrote, "bolster democracy, governance, peace and security, access to education and critically needed basic services" in advance of elections planned for next year. CRS has been working in Liberia since 1990 and manages programs in agriculture, education, peace building, HIV/AIDS and other areas. The agency continues to provide emergency relief to displaced Liberians in the cities of Monrovia, Buchanan and Harbel. In Afghanistan, CRS continues to provide assistance in the areas of education, agriculture, water management and infrastructure reconstruction. Catholic Relief Services is marking its 60th year as the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community. The agency provides assistance to people in more than 90 countries and territories on the basis of need, not race, creed or nationality. To contribute to Catholic Relief Services efforts, send donations to:
For more information, or to contact Catholic Relief Services, see their website at: www.catholicrelief.org |
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