105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 6

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

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

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;
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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 sus13 pected terrorists or permitting Afghan territory to

14 be used for terrorist training; and

15 (4) takes note of the continued armed conflict

16 in Afghanistan, affirms the need for peace negotia17 tions and expresses hope that the Afghan parties

18 will agree to a cease-fire throughout the country.

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

20 should—
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1 (1) continue to monitor the human rights situa2 tion in Afghanistan and should call for adherence by

3 all factions in Afghanistan to international humani4 tarian law;

5 (2) call for an end to the systematic discrimina6 tion and harassment of women and girls in Afghani7 stan;

8 (3) encourage efforts to procure a durable peace

9 in Afghanistan and should support the United Na10 tions Special Mission to Afghanistan led by Norbert

11 Holl to assist in brokering a peaceful resolution to

12 years of conflict;

13 (4) call upon the Government of Pakistan to

14 use its good offices with the Taliban to cease human

15 rights violations, end provision of safe haven to ter16 rorists and terrorist training camps, and reverse dis17 criminatory policies against women and girls;

18 (5) call upon other nations to cease providing

19 financial assistance, arms, and other kinds of sup20 port to the militaries or political organizations of

21 any of the warring factions in Afghanistan; and

22 (6) undertake a review of United States policy

23 toward Afghanistan.

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

25 a copy of this concurrent resolution to the President with
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1 the request that he further transmit such copy to the

2 United Nations and relevant parties in Afghanistan.

Passed the Senate May 20, 1997.

Attest:

Secretary.
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