IV

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 461

Calling for the immediate and unconditional release from prison of certain

Kurdish members of the Parliament of the Republic of Turkey and

for the prompt recognition by the Government of the Republic of Turkey

of full cultural and language rights for the Kurdish people within its

borders.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 5, 2000

Mr. FILNER (for himself, Mr. PORTER, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. ESHOO, Mr.

BONIOR, Mr. WOLF, and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International

Relations

RESOLUTION

Calling for the immediate and unconditional release from

prison of certain Kurdish members of the Parliament

of the Republic of Turkey and for the prompt recognition

by the Government of the Republic of Turkey of full

cultural and language rights for the Kurdish people within its borders.

Whereas the friendship between the peoples of the United

States and the Republic of Turkey is based on a mutual

respect and a shared commitment to democracy, human

rights, and the rule of law;
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•HRES 461 IH

Whereas Turkey is now a candidate for membership in the

European Union, a community of nations likewise based

on shared values of democracy and human rights;

Whereas full inclusion of the 20,000,000 Kurds living within

Turkish borders in an open and multiethnic society will

promote both the strengthening of democracy and the

stability of the region as a whole;

Whereas four former parliamentarians from the now banned

Kurdish-based Democracy Party (DEP), Leyla Zana,

Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan, and Selim Sadak, remain imprisoned at Ankara’s Ulucanlar Prison and among the

actions cited in Zana’s indictment was her 1993 appearance before the Helsinki Commission in Washington,

D.C.;

Whereas 153 Members of the United States Congress in

1997 signed a letter to President Clinton calling for

Leyla Zana’s immediate and unconditional release ‘‘so

that we may again welcome her to our shores’’; and

Whereas, at the recent Stockholm International Forum on

the Holocaust held on January 26–28, 2000, the Turkish

delegation expressed its commitment to ‘‘the promotion

of the concepts of tolerance and respect for cultural diversity’’, and the Congress warmly endorses this approach to the building of democracy and ethnic pluralism

in Turkey as within our own great Nation: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives declares

2 that—

3 (1) the immediate and unconditional release

4 from prison in the Republic of Turkey of the parlia-
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•HRES 461 IH

1 mentarians Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan,

2 and Selim Sadak is a vital step in upholding due

3 process in Turkey and facilitating Turkey’s integra4 tion into the European Union; and

5 (2) the prompt recognition by the Government

6 of the Republic of Turkey of full cultural and lan7 guage rights for the Kurdish people within its bor8 ders, including the right of education and broad9 casting in Kurdish, is a vital step in promoting toler10 ance and cultural diversity in a manner consistent

11 with Turkey’s commitment as a participating state

12 of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in

13 Europe.

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