IV

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 323

Supporting peace and democracy in the Republic of Sierra Leone.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 11, 2000

Mr. HALL of Ohio (for himself, Mr. WOLF, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr. ROYCE, Mr.

HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HOUGHTON, and Ms. MCKINNEY) submitted

the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee

on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Supporting peace and democracy in the Republic of Sierra

Leone.

Whereas the United States has supported the people of the

Republic of Sierra Leone in their desire for peace and democracy through both moral and financial support and

initiatives designed to secure peace;

Whereas despite a peace agreement signed by all parties on

July 7, 1999, to end Sierra Leone’s civil war, and despite

the efforts of the United Nations peacekeeping force in

Sierra Leone, violence continues;

Whereas rebels in Sierra Leone have murdered United Nations peacekeeping troops, taken hundreds of others hostage, and repeatedly robbed the peacekeeping force of its

weapons and equipment;
2

•HCON 323 IH

Whereas, in violation of the peace agreement, the majority of

Sierra Leone’s rebels have refused to disarm and continue to commit atrocities against both civilians and

United Nations peacekeeping troops;

Whereas rebels continue to threaten Sierra Leone’s people

and its capital, and recently threatened a rampage like

the rampage that killed thousands and destroyed much of

the city in 1999;

Whereas rebels have pursued a campaign of rape against Sierra Leone’s women and girls, leaving them traumatized

both emotionally and physically, with high rates of HIV

and other infections, and malnutrition;

Whereas, while the peace agreement granted amnesty to all

parties to the civil war in Sierra Leone for crimes committed before July 7, 1999, it does not bar prosecution

of any party for war crimes committed after that date;

Whereas the natural resources of Sierra Leone that have

been used to transform rebel forces into a well-equipped

army continue to be deployed to hinder efforts by United

Nations peacekeeping troops to enforce the peace agreement;

Whereas the United Nations has an obligation to protect

troops serving in its peacekeeping forces and must not

tolerate the execution of troops serving in its peacekeeping forces;

Whereas the United States has a responsibility to exercise

leadership at the United Nations and to contribute all it

can to the success of its initiatives;

Whereas the Congress has an obligation to expend taxpayers’

funds wisely and in the past decade has done so in providing $2,000,000,000 in humanitarian assistance to Si-
3

•HCON 323 IH

erra Leone and 3 other countries engulfed in wars over

their natural resources;

Whereas, during the same period, rebel forces in Sierra

Leone and these other countries have earned more than

$10,000,000,000 smuggling diamonds and have used

their profits to wage wars that have killed tens of thousands of civilians, driven hundreds of thousands from

their homes and countries, and increased the need for humanitarian and other assistance; and

Whereas the people of Sierra Leone have continually demonstrated their desire for peace and democracy: Now,

therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That—

3 (1) the Congress joins the international commu4 nity in supporting peace and democracy in the Re5 public of Sierra Leone; and

6 (2) it is the sense of the Congress that—

7 (A)(i) the President should direct the

8 United States representative to the United Na9 tions to immediately work to bring before the

10 United Nations Security Council a resolution

11 imposing comprehensive sanctions against the

12 sale of diamonds by rebels in Sierra Leone; and

13 (ii) sanctions referred to in clause (i)

14 should be imposed on any diamond mined in Si15 erra Leone that is not certified by the Govern16 ment of Sierra Leone and such sanctions should
4

•HCON 323 IH

1 be similar to those sanctions imposed against

2 rebels in Angola with consideration of the rec3 ommendations of the United Nations Fowler re4 port;

5 (B) rebels in Sierra Leone should be con6 demned by the United Nations and the inter7 national community for murdering Kenyan

8 troops serving as United Nations peacekeepers,

9 and for inflicting unspeakable suffering on

10 countless Sierra Leonean civilians;

11 (C) United States diplomats should be im12 mediately dispatched to Sierra Leone to remind

13 the leaders of the rebels that the peace agree14 ment provides no amnesty for any war crimes

15 committed since its signing;

16 (D) because international law does not pro17 vide amnesty for war criminals, the United

18 States should initiate all actions necessary to

19 bring any individual who has committed war

20 crimes during Sierra Leone’s civil war to jus21 tice; and

22 (E) United States authorities should not

23 grant a visa to any individual who committed

24 war crimes during Sierra Leone’s civil war, or

25 to members of the individual’s family, and any
5

•HCON 323 IH

1 such individual found in the United States

2 should be turned over to the International War

3 Crimes Tribunal for prosecution.

Æ