All the Haitian Children to Leave Guantanamo Bay Camp by July 1
All the Haitian Children to Leave Guantanamo Bay Camp by July 1
I would like to express my deep disappointment with the editorial "Let the Children In," June 1. It is factually incorrect and ignores the care and commitment of the many agencies involved in trying to deal compassionately with a complicated issue.
The United States government has one goal for these children: to resolve their cases in a manner that meets their "best interests" as determined by child-protection experts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This is a standard international practice. In general, this means that children should be reunited with their parents or closest relatives. The families of most of these children live in Haiti and not the US, as stated in the editorial. And many of the children are being returned to their homes in Haiti.
If UNHCR and other social service professionals determine that the closest family members reside in the United States, or if it is appropriate, the child will be resettled in the US with proper sponsorship. Twenty-six have been brought to the US and more will come. We are committed to ensuring that all of the children will be able to leave Guantanamo Bay by July 1.
Phyllis E. Oakley Washington
Assistant Secretary of State
US Department of State
Bob Dole's 'true lies'
Sen. Bob Dole (R) criticizes what the Hollywood entertainment industry puts out, yet he favors cutting the Public Broadcasting System and the National Endowment for the Arts, which provide uplifting nature shows, symphony concerts, and high-quality children's programming. Mr. Dole said the movie "Natural Born Killers," which was a condemnation of violence, was a "nightmare of depravity." Yet he recommended "True Lies," a movie full of exploding buildings, cars, and human beings - which, coincidentally, stars one of Hollywood's biggest Republicans, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Senator Dole's presidential campaign slogan ought to be: "Bob Dole: True Lies."
Alan L. Light Iowa City, Iowa
Right name, wrong state
I hope you have been deluged with corrections of the photo cutline on Page 9, May 26: Sen. Pete Domenici (R) is not from Arizona but that sleepy little state next door, New Mexico. We who hope to vote Pete out of office when he runs for reelection in 1996 still want outsiders to know which state he comes from.
David Giltrow Santa Fe, N.M.