IV

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 228

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the peace

process in Colombia and calling on the government and all other parties

to the current conflict in Colombia to take steps to advance the peace

process so as to end the ongoing violence which continues to pose a

serious threat to democracy, human rights, and economic and social

stability in that nation.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 29, 1999

Mr. GALLEGLY (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. FARR of California, and Mr. DAVIS of Florida)

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee

on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the peace process in Colombia and calling on the

government and all other parties to the current conflict

in Colombia to take steps to advance the peace process

so as to end the ongoing violence which continues to

pose a serious threat to democracy, human rights, and

economic and social stability in that nation.

Whereas a civil war has raged in Colombia for 50 years and

the dramatic expansion of drug production has exacerbated the violence and contributed to prolonging the conflict;
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Whereas on June 21, 1998, close to eleven million Colombians went to the polls, in a clear affirmation of the

democratic process, to cast their vote for a mandate for

peace;

Whereas as a result of the political violence Colombia suffers

from one of the worst human rights situations in the

hemisphere today with an estimated 70,000 people killed,

with more than 300,000 refugees created in the last

three years, and some 1,000,000 Colombians internally

displaced as a direct result of the fighting over the last

decade;

Whereas the violence has resulted in the deaths of at least

30 human rights defenders, the recent murder of 3

United States citizens and the kidnapping of 2 more, the

disappearance of 3 United States missionaries in 1995,

and countless assassinations and threats against other

human rights workers, professors, intellectuals, and academic researchers;

Whereas the operations of the Revolutionary Armed Forces

of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army

(ELN), and the various paramilitary units have become

increasingly dependent upon, and interconnected with,

the illicit narcotics trade;

Whereas the instability in Colombia resulting from the conflict has hindered efforts to eradicate narcotics production and has enabled a freer flow of illicit drugs from Colombia to the United States;

Whereas the continued insurgency of the FARC and ELN

guerrillas and the extreme violence of the paramilitaries

ultimately poses a major threat to the very democracy of
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Colombia, historically one of the strongest and most resilient in the hemisphere, and to the stability of the region;

Whereas international private sector leaders have urged support for the peace process as a means of encouraging investment and revitalization of Colombia’s economy; and

Whereas a negotiated settlement is the only long-term solution for ending the internal conflict in Colombia and for

protecting United States interests in the region: Now,

therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) commends the people of Colombia for their

3 continued demonstration of support for the demo4 cratic process as well as for an end to the internal

5 conflict plaguing that nation;

6 (2) commends President Andres Pastrana for

7 his strong commitment to seek an end to the guer8 rilla insurgency and paramilitary violence in Colom9 bia and for his efforts to begin a peace process;

10 (3) commends the Colombian Government and

11 military leadership for their initial steps toward re12 moving from the armed forces officers found to be

13 linked to illegal and unacceptable activities of

14 paramilitaries;

15 (4) condemns the violations of human rights,

16 including murder and kidnappings, that continue in

17 Colombia, particularly the murder at the hands of

18 the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
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1 (FARC) guerrillas of 3 United States citizens, the

2 disappearance of 3 United States missionaries in

3 territory controlled by the FARC, and the recent

4 mass kidnappings and hijackings by the National

5 Liberation Army (ELN), which resulted in 2 United

6 States citizens being taken hostage;

7 (5) urges the leaders of the FARC and the

8 ELN, and the leaders of the paramilitary groups, to

9 end the violence, agree to suspend all kidnappings,

10 release all hostages, renounce their relationships

11 with the narcotics trade, and negotiate a meaningful

12 peace accord with the Government of Colombia

13 which would provide lasting peace, a reaffirmation of

14 the democratic principles of government, and eco15 nomic and social justice for all Colombians;

16 (6) urges the Government of Colombia to rap17 idly and effectively implement a program to help

18 protect threatened human rights workers;

19 (7) encourages the FARC and the Government

20 of Colombia to agree to the establishment of an

21 international observer group which would monitor

22 the ‘‘despeje’’ zone and report on new or existing il23 legal narcotics activities and human rights abuses in

24 that zone;
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1 (8) urges the FARC to demonstrate its renunci2 ation of the narcotics trade by verifiably eradicating

3 coca cultivation in 10,000 hectares of the ‘‘despeje’’

4 zone and by cooperating with the Government of Co5 lombia in converting those hectares to the cultivation

6 of substitute legal crops;

7 (9) welcomes the agreement between the FARC

8 and the Government of Colombia to create a com9 mission to investigate and provide a final report on

10 the fate of the 3 United States missionaries of the

11 New Tribes Mission missing in Colombia;

12 (10) calls upon the international community to

13 play a more active role in helping to resolve the in14 ternal conflict in Colombia by encouraging all sides

15 to participate in the peace process; and

16 (11) reaffirms the support of the United States

17 for the peace process in Colombia, commits the

18 United States to assist the Government of Colombia

19 in finding a peaceful resolution to the internal con20 flict, continues to support United States assistance

21 to help strengthen political stability and economic

22 growth, and continues to cooperate with all segments

23 of Colombian society who demonstrate a clear and
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1 unequivocal commitment to combating the drug

2 trade within Colombia.

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