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[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 6 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign 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 and a particularly negative impact on the 
        rights and security of women and girls;
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
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That (a) Congress hereby--
            (1) deplores the violations of international humanitarian 
        law by the Taliban coalition in Afghanistan and raises concern 
        over the reported cases of stoning, public executions, and 
        street beatings;
            (2) condemns the Taliban's targeted discrimination against 
        women and girls and expresses deep concern regarding the 
        prohibition of employment and education for women and girls; 
        and
            (3) takes note of the recent armed conflict in Kabul, 
        affirms the need for peace negotiations and expresses hope that 
        the Afghan parties will agree to a cease-fire throughout the 
        country.
    (b) It is the sense of Congress that the President should--
            (1) continue to monitor the human rights situation in 
        Afghanistan and should call for an end to discrimination 
        against women and girls in Afghanistan and for adherence by all 
        factions in Afghanistan to international humanitarian law;
            (2) review United States policy with respect to Afghanistan 
        if the Taliban coalition and others do not cease immediately 
        the harassment and other discriminatory practices against women 
        and girls;
            (3) encourage efforts to procure a durable peace in 
        Afghanistan and should support the United Nations Special 
        Mission to Afghanistan led by Norbert Holl to assist in 
        brokering a peaceful resolution to years of conflict;
            (4) call upon the Government of Pakistan to use its good 
        offices with the Taliban to reverse the Taliban's restrictive 
        and discriminatory policies against women and girls; and
            (5) call upon other nations to cease providing financial 
        assistance, arms, and other kinds of support to the militaries 
        or political organizations of any of the warring factions in 
        Afghanistan.
    Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this 
concurrent resolution to the President with the request that he further 
transmit such copy to the United Nations and relevant parties in 
Afghanistan.
                                 <all>
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