IV

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 238

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding a peaceful resolution of the

conflict in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOVEMBER 18, 1999

Ms. PELOSI (for herself, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr. PORTER, Mr. LANTOS, Mr.

DEFAZIO, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. HOLT,

Mr. DELAHUNT, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. STARK, Mr. MOAKLEY, Ms. STABENOW, Mr.

MALONEY of Connecticut, Mr. KIND, Mr. FROST, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. LAFALCE, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms.

WATERS, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. CUMMINGS,

Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. SANDERS, and Mr. OLVER) submitted the following

concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the state of Chiapas, Mexico,

and for other purposes.

Whereas the United States and Mexico have a long history

of close relations and share a wide range of interests;

Whereas a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous Mexico is of

vital importance to the security of the United States;
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Whereas the United States Government provides assistance

and licenses exports of military equipment to Mexican security forces for counter-narcotics purposes;

Whereas the Department of State’s 1998 Country Report on

Human Rights Practices in Mexico stated that a ‘‘culture

of impunity pervades the security forces’’ and documented human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings

by these forces;

Whereas confrontations in August 1999 between members of

the Mexican military and supporters of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) in Chiapas, Mexico, are

representative of the political tension and violence that

have plagued the region for years;

Whereas the conflict has its roots in the poverty and injustice

suffered by the indigenous people of Chiapas and shared

by the poor in the neighboring states of Oaxaca and

Guerrero;

Whereas the lack of progress in implementing a preliminary

peace agreement signed in 1996 and the intimidating

level of militarization by the Mexican army, paramilitary

groups, and the EZLN have resulted in the forced displacement of thousands of indigenous people and exacerbated the impoverished conditions in Chiapas;

Whereas on September 14, 1999, the Commission for Peace

and Reconciliation in Chiapas of the Conference of Mexican Catholic Bishops urged the Government of Mexico to

consider relocating military forces in Chiapas to only

those positions absolutely necessary for maintaining the

integrity and security of Mexico;
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Whereas the Government of Mexico has devoted resources to

reduce poverty in Chiapas, but the breakdown in peace

negotiations and the lack of trust between the Mexican

Government and some indigenous communities have limited the impact of that assistance;

Whereas on September 7, 1999, the Government of Mexico

pledged to renew dialogue with the EZLN, support the

formation of a new mediation team, and investigate

human rights abuses in Chiapas;

Whereas the EZLN has not yet accepted the Government of

Mexico’s overtures to resume negotiations; and

Whereas the summary expulsions of United States citizens

and human rights monitors from Mexico are inconsistent

with the freedoms of movement, association, and expression: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the Sec3 retary of State should—

4 (1) take effective measures to ensure that

5 United States assistance and exports of equipment

6 to Mexican security forces—

7 (A) are used primarily for counter-nar8 cotics purposes; and

9 (B) are not provided to units of security

10 forces that have been implicated in human

11 rights violations, unless the Government of

12 Mexico is taking effective measures to bring the

13 individuals responsible to justice;
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1 (2) encourage the Zapatista National Libera2 tion Army (EZLN) and the Government of Mexico

3 to take steps to create conditions for good faith ne4 gotiations that address the social, economic and po5 litical causes of the conflict in Chiapas, to achieve a

6 peaceful and lasting resolution of the conflict, and to

7 vigorously pursue such negotiations;

8 (3) commend the Government of Mexico for its

9 renewed commitment to negotiations and for estab10 lishing a date for the United Nations High Commis11 sioner for Human Rights to visit Mexico to discuss

12 human rights concerns there;

13 (4) give a higher priority in discussions with the

14 Government of Mexico to criminal justice reforms

15 that protect human rights, emphasizing United

16 States concerns about arbitrary detention, torture,

17 disappearances, and extrajudicial killings, and the

18 failure to prosecute individuals responsible for these

19 crimes; and

20 (5) urge the Government of Mexico to imple21 ment the recommendations of the Inter-American

22 Commission on Human Rights, particularly with re23 gard to United States citizens and others who have
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1 been summarily expelled from Mexico in violation of

2 Mexican law and international law.

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