IV

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 121

Expressing the sincerest condolences of the House of Representatives to

the families of the 42 people, including 37 children, killed in the March

6, 2001, explosion at the Fanglin elementary school in the Jianxi province of the People’s Republic of China, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 24, 2001

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey,

Ms. PELOSI, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. BONIOR, Mr. COYNE, Mr. EVANS,

Mr. FILNER, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. KILDEE, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. NADLER,

Mr. PAYNE, Ms. SANCHEZ, Mr. SHOWS, Ms. SOLIS, and Mr. STARK) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on

International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and

Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sincerest condolences of the House of Representatives to the families of the 42 people, including

37 children, killed in the March 6, 2001, explosion at

the Fanglin elementary school in the Jianxi province

of the People’s Republic of China, and for other purposes.

Whereas on March 6, 2001, an explosion at the Fanglin elementary school in the Jianxi province of the People’s Re-
2

•HRES 121 IH

public of China’s killed at least 42 people, including 37

children;

Whereas the children, all between the ages of 9 and 11, were

being forced by elementary school officials to manufacture fireworks when this tragedy occurred;

Whereas the parents of the deceased children report that the

mandatory labor, which involved mounting fuses and detonators into large firecrackers, had been a daily practice

at the school for years;

Whereas this systematic exploitation of children in the elementary school was not only known about but actually

organized by individuals holding official responsibilities

with the local Chinese Government;

Whereas this practice is a grave violation of the rights of children under the International Labor Organization’s Conventions 138 and 182, as well as Convention 29 on

Forced Labor; and

Whereas Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji has taken the

important step of acknowledging these violations of internationally recognized labor standards: Now, therefore, be

it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) expresses its sincerest condolences to the

3 families of the 42 people killed in the March 6,

4 2001, explosion at the Fanglin elementary school in

5 the Jianxi province of the People’s Republic of

6 China, including to the parents and families of the

7 37 young children who lost their lives as a result of

8 this dangerous and forced child labor;
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•HRES 121 IH

1 (2) expresses its gratitude to the Chinese and

2 international journalists who reported the true cause

3 of the explosion in response to the Chinese Com4 munist Party’s original attempts to put forward an

5 ‘‘authorized’’, but false, version of the events; and

6 (3) expresses its support for international trade

7 agreements and policies that will enforce the Inter8 national Labor Organization’s core labor standards,

9 which include prohibition of child labor and forced

10 labor.

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