IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 554 

Urging the Government of the Gabonese Republic to hold orderly, peaceful, 

and free and fair presidential elections in November 2005. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 15, 2005 

Mr. PAYNE (for himself and Mr. WYNN) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Urging the Government of the Gabonese Republic to hold 

orderly, peaceful, and free and fair presidential elections 

in November 2005. 

Whereas the Gabonese Republic is a heavily forested and oilrich country on the west coast of Central Africa, which 

produces nearly 270,000 barrels of oil per day; 

Whereas Gabon gained independence from France in 1960, 

was subject to single-party rule until 1990, and has demonstrated its support for the democratic process through 

the formation of numerous political parties since 1990 

and the strong participation of its people in prior elections; 

Whereas Gabon is scheduled to hold national elections in November 2005 for the purpose of electing a President; 
2 

•HRES 554 IH 

Whereas the Government of Gabon is a signatory to the 

‘‘Paris Accords’’ of 1994, approved by national referendum in July 1995, which provides for a state of law 

guaranteeing basic individual freedoms and the organization of free and fair elections under an independent national election commission; 

Whereas Gabon has enjoyed a strong relationship with the 

United States, as demonstrated by Secretary of State 

Colin Powell’s historic visit to Gabon in September 2002, 

the President of Gabon’s visit to the White House in May 

2004, and cooperative business and trade relations between the two countries; 

Whereas the Department of State’s 2005 Country Reports on 

Human Rights Practices states with respect to Gabon 

that the last presidential election in 1998, the legislative 

elections in 2001, and the senatorial elections in 2003 

were marred with serious administrative problems and 

irregularities, including incomplete and inaccurate electoral lists and the use of false documents to cast multiple 

votes; 

Whereas in July 2003, the Gabonese Constitution was 

amended to remove any references to presidential term 

limits; 

Whereas the President of Gabon has been the leader of that 

country since 1967 and is the longest serving leader on 

the continent of Africa; 

Whereas the judiciary of Gabon is widely viewed to be inefficient and subject to government influence; 

Whereas the President of the National Electoral Commission 

in Gabon issued a decree that permits the military to 
3 

•HRES 554 IH 

vote in their barracks on November 25 and the general 

population to vote on November 27, 2005; 

Whereas this decree potentially raises the possibility that, in 

the absence of proper safeguards, military personnel 

might vote more than once and that other voting irregularities might occur since military barracks are not generally open to public observation; 

Whereas the Gabonese Minister of Immigration threatened to 

invalidate the passports of members of opposition political parties seeking to travel outside of Gabon in response 

to their alleged criticism of the President of Gabon overseas, which can only be viewed as a threat to the freedoms of speech and of assembly; 

Whereas, according to press reports, in some locales, electoral 

lists have not been posted, and in others, voter registries 

may have been inflated; and 

Whereas it is in the interest of the United States to promote 

political and economic freedom in Africa and throughout 

the world: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes and commends the mediation ef3 forts of the Government of the Gabonese Republic in 

4 Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, 

5 Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), and 

6 Cote d’Ivoire; 

7 (2) recognizes and commends those Gabonese 

8 who have demonstrated their desire for free and fair 

9 elections; 
4 

•HRES 554 IH 

1 (3) believes it is critical that the November 

2 2005 presidential elections be conducted in a fair 

3 and transparent manner, and that the elections be 

4 viewed by the people of Gabon as such so that the 

5 winner of the election can claim a clear and legiti6 mate mandate to govern the country; 

7 (4) calls on the Government of Gabon and op8 position parties to continue their peaceful dialogue 

9 and to fairly and transparently resolve any elections10 related disputes between them; 

11 (5) calls on the Gabonese Government— 

12 (A) to hold orderly, peaceful, free, and fair 

13 presidential elections in November 2005 in 

14 order to ensure the long-term growth and sta15 bility of Gabon; 

16 (B) to guarantee the full, free, and open 

17 participation of opposition parties in the up18 coming elections; and 

19 (C) to guarantee all Gabonese citizens the 

20 freedom of speech and the freedom of assembly; 

21 and 

22 (6) calls on the Government of the United 

23 States and the international community to continue 

24 to encourage and support the institutionalization of 

25 democratic processes and the establishment of condi-
5 

•HRES 554 IH 

1 tions for good governance in Gabon and the sub-re2 gion. 

Æ