IV

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 6

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 21, 1997

Referred to the Committee on International Relations

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,

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

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
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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

9 concern regarding the prohibition of employment

10 and education for women and girls;

11 (3) urges the Taliban and all other parties in

12 Afghanistan to cease providing safe haven to sus-
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1 pected terrorists or permitting Afghan territory to

2 be used for terrorist training; and

3 (4) takes note of the continued armed conflict

4 in Afghanistan, affirms the need for peace negotia5 tions and expresses hope that the Afghan parties

6 will agree to 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 adherence by

11 all factions in Afghanistan to international humani12 tarian law;

13 (2) call for an end to the systematic discrimina14 tion and harassment of women and girls in Afghani15 stan;

16 (3) encourage efforts to procure a durable peace

17 in Afghanistan and should support the United Na18 tions Special Mission to Afghanistan led by Norbert

19 Holl to assist in brokering a peaceful resolution to

20 years of conflict;

21 (4) call upon the Government of Pakistan to

22 use its good offices with the Taliban to cease human

23 rights violations, end provision of safe haven to ter24 rorists and terrorist training camps, and reverse dis25 criminatory policies against women and girls;
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1 (5) call upon other nations to cease providing

2 financial assistance, arms, and other kinds of sup3 port to the militaries or political organizations of

4 any of the warring factions in Afghanistan; and

5 (6) undertake a review of United States policy

6 toward 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.

Passed the Senate May 20, 1997.

Attest: GARY SISCO,

Secretary.