Calendar No. 50

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 6

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing concern for the continued deterioration

that country.the need for a peaceful political settlement inof human rights in Afghanistan and emphasizing

MAY 8, 1997

Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the

preamble
III

Calendar No. 50

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 6

Expressing concern for the continued deterioration of human rights in Afghanistan and emphasizing the need for a peaceful political settlement

in that country.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 7, 1997

Mr. DODD (for himself, Mr. HAGEL, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN, Mr. KERRY, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr.

FEINGOLD, Mrs. BOXER, and Mr. MCCAIN) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

MAY 8, 1997

Reported by Mr. HELMS, with an amendment and an amendment to the

preamble

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic]

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing concern for the continued deterioration of human

rights in Afghanistan and emphasizing the need for a

peaceful political settlement in that country.

Whereas Congress recognizes that the legacy of civil conflict

in Afghanistan during the last 17 years has had a devastating effect on the civilian population in that country

and a particularly negative impact on the rights and security of women and girls;
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Whereas the longstanding civil conflict in Afghanistan among

the warring political and military factions has created an

environment where the rights of women and girls are routinely violated;

Whereas the Afghan forces led by Burhanuddin Rabbani and

Abdul Rashid Dostum are responsible for numerous abhorrent human rights abuses, including the rape, sexual

abuse, torture, abduction, and persecution of women and

girls;

Whereas Congress is disturbed by the upsurge of reported

human rights abuses, including extreme restrictions

placed on women and girls, since the Taliban coalition

seized the capital city of Kabul;

Whereas Afghanistan is a sovereign nation and must work to

solve its internal disputes; and

Whereas Afghanistan and the United States recognize international human rights conventions, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural

Rights, which espouse respect for basic human rights of

all individuals without regard to race, religion, ethnicity,

or gender: Now, therefore, be it

Whereas Congress recognizes that the legacy of civil conflict in

Afghanistan during the last 17 years has had a devastating effect on the civilian population in that country, killing 2,000,000 people and displacing more than 7,000,000,

and has had a particularly negative impact on the rights

and security of women and girls;

Whereas the Department of State’s Country Reports on

Human Practices for 1996 states: ‘‘Serious human rights

violations continue to occur[...] political killings, torture,

rape, arbitrary detention, looting, abductions and
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kidnappings for ransom were committed by armed units,

local commanders and rogue individuals.’’;

Whereas the Afghan forces affiliated with Burhanuddin

Rabbani and Abdul Rashid Dostum are responsible for numerous abhorrent human rights abuses, including the rape,

sexual abuse, torture, abduction, and persecution of women

and girls;

Whereas Congress is disturbed by the upsurge of reported

human rights abuses in Taliban-controlled territory, including extreme restrictions placed on women and girls;

Whereas the Taliban have provided safe haven to suspected terrorists and may be allowing terrorist training camps to

operate in territory under its control;

Whereas Afghanistan is a sovereign nation and must work to

solve its internal disputes; and

Whereas Afghanistan and the United States recognize international human rights conventions, such as the Universal

Declaration on Human Rights, which espouse respect for

basic human rights of all individuals without regard to

race, religion, ethnicity, or gender: Now therefore, be it.

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives

2 concurring), That (a) Congress hereby—

3 (1) deplores the violations of international hu4 manitarian law by the Taliban coalition in Afghani5 stan and raises concern over the reported cases of

6 stoning, public executions, and street beatings;

7 (2) condemns the Taliban’s targeted discrimina8 tion against women and girls and expresses deep
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1 concern regarding the prohibition of employment

2 and education for women and girls;

3 (3) takes note of the recent armed conflict in

4 Kabul, affirms the need for peace negotiations and

5 expresses hope that the Afghan parties will agree to

6 a cease-fire throughout the country.

7 (b) It is the sense of Congress that the President

8 should—

9 (1) continue to monitor the human rights situa10 tion in Afghanistan and should call for an end to

11 discrimination against women and girls in Afghani12 stan and for adherence by all factions in Afghani13 stan to international humanitarian law;

14 (2) review United States policy with respect to

15 Afghanistan if the Taliban coalition and others do

16 not cease immediately the harassment and other dis17 criminatory practices against women and girls;

18 (3) encourage efforts to procure a durable peace

19 in Afghanistan and should support the United Na20 tions Special Mission to Afghanistan led by Norbert

21 Holl to assist in brokering a peaceful resolution to

22 years of conflict;

23 (4) call upon the Government of Pakistan to

24 use its good offices with the Taliban to reverse the
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1 Taliban’s restrictive and discriminatory policies

2 against women and girls;

3 (5) call upon other nations to cease providing

4 financial assistance, arms, and other kinds of sup5 port to the militaries or political organizations of

6 any of the warring factions in Afghanistan.

7 SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit

8 a copy of this concurrent resolution to the President with

9 the request that he further transmit such copy to the

10 United Nations and relevant parties in Afghanistan.

11 That (a) Congress hereby—

12 (1) deplores the violations of international hu13 manitarian law by the Taliban coalition in Afghani14 stan and raises concern over the reported cases of

15 stoning, public executions, and street beatings;

16 (2) condemns the Taliban’s targeted discrimina17 tion against women and girls and expresses deep con18 cern regarding the prohibition of employment and

19 education for women and girls;

20 (3) urges the Taliban and all other parties in Af21 ghanistan to cease providing safe haven to suspected

22 terrorists or permitting Afghan territory to be used

23 for terrorist training; and

24 (4) takes note of the continued armed conflict in

25 Afghanistan, affirms the need for peace negotiations
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1 and expresses hope that the Afghan parties will agree

2 to a cease-fire throughout the country.

3 (b) It is the sense of Congress that the President

4 should—

5 (1) continue to monitor the human rights situa6 tion in Afghanistan and should call for adherence by

7 all factions in Afghanistan to international humani8 tarian law;

9 (2) call for an end to the systematic discrimina10 tion and harassment of women and girls in Afghani11 stan;

12 (3) encourage efforts to procure a durable peace

13 in Afghanistan and should support the United Na14 tions Special Mission to Afghanistan led by Norbert

15 Holl to assist in brokering a peaceful resolution to

16 years of conflict;

17 (4) call upon the Government of Pakistan to use

18 its good offices with the Taliban to cease human

19 rights violations, end provision of safe haven to ter20 rorists and terrorist training camps, and reverse dis21 criminatory policies against women and girls; and

22 (5) call upon other nations to cease providing fi23 nancial assistance, arms, and other kinds of support

24 to the militaries or political organizations of any of

25 the warring factions in Afghanistan;
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1 (6) undertake a review of United States policy

2 toward Afghanistan.

3 SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a

4 copy of this concurrent resolution to the President with the

5 request that he further transmit such copy to the United

6 Nations and relevant parties in Afghanistan.