```

[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 24 Introduced in House (IH)]

106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 24

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives congratulating 
  President Pastrana and the people of Colombia for moving the peace 
process forward and calling on the government and all other parties to 
the current conflict in Colombia to end the guerrilla and paramilitary 
violence which continues to pose a serious threat to democracy as well 
             as economic and social stability in Colombia.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 19, 1999

Mr. Gallegly submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives congratulating 
  President Pastrana and the people of Colombia for moving the peace 
process forward and calling on the government and all other parties to 
the current conflict in Colombia to end the guerrilla and paramilitary 
violence which continues to pose a serious threat to democracy as well 
             as economic and social stability in Colombia.

Whereas on June 21, 1998, close to eleven million Colombians went to the polls 
        in a clear affirmation of the democratic process and cast their vote not 
        only for a new President to lead that nation into the next century but 
        for a mandate for peace and for the government to resolve the conflict;
Whereas an estimated 70,000 people have died as a direct result of the internal 
        fighting over the last decade which has resulted in the deaths 
        associated with the guerrilla and paramilitary violence as being the 
        leading cause of death in Colombia;
Whereas the guerrilla and paramilitary violence has created more than 300,000 
        refugees over the last three years and an estimated total of over 
        1,000,000 Colombians displaced by the violence over the past decade;
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 on and interconnected with the illicit 
        narcotics trade; and
Whereas the continued insurgency of the guerrillas and the extreme violence of 
        the paramilitaries ultimately poses a major threat to the very democracy 
        of Colombia and stability of the region: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates the people of Colombia for their 
        continued demonstration of support for the democratic process 
        as well as for an end to the internal conflict plaguing that 
        nation;
            (2) congratulates President Andres Pastrana for his strong 
        commitment to seek an end to the guerrilla and paramilitary 
        violence in Colombia and for his initiatives to begin a peace 
        process;
            (3) urges the guerrilla leaders of the FARC and the ELN, 
        and the leaders of the paramilitary groups, to end the 
        violence, sever their relationships with the narcotics trade, 
        and negotiate a peace accord with the Government of Colombia 
        which would provide lasting peace, a reaffirmation of the 
        democratic principles of government, economic and social 
        justice for all Colombians, and an end to the cultivation, 
        production, and trade of narcotics;
            (4) calls upon the international community to play a more 
        proactive role in trying to resolve the internal conflict by 
        encouraging all sides to participate in the peace process; and
            (5) reaffirms the support of the United States for the 
        peace process in Colombia, commits the United States to assist 
        the Government of Colombia in finding a peaceful resolution to 
        the internal conflict, and to continue United States assistance 
        to help strengthen political stability, foster economic growth 
        and combat the drug trade within Colombia, taking into account 
        the threat the guerrilla movement and the drug trade poses to 
        the democracy of Colombia.
                                 <all>
```