IV

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 16

Calling for a peaceful transition to stability and democracy in the Democratic

Republic of the Congo.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 30, 2001

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida submitted the following concurrent resolution; which

was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Calling for a peaceful transition to stability and democracy

in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Whereas on January 16, 2001, President Laurent Kabila of

the Democratic Republic of the Congo was assassinated,

and this event jeopardizes the peace, security, and stability of central Africa;

Whereas Congo is home to approximately 50,000,000 people;

Whereas since 1994, Congo has been plagued by ethnic strife

and civil war touched off by a massive inflow of refugees

fleeing the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi;

Whereas in May 1997, Laurent Kabila toppled Africa’s most

durable dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko, and declared himself

President of the nation that is now Congo;
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Whereas in 1997, following President Laurent Kabila’s assumption of leadership, Congo showed bright prospects

for democracy, peace, stability, and economic development;

Whereas approximately 1 year later, President Laurent

Kabila found himself the target of a new insurrection

backed by external forces;

Whereas in June 2000, the International Rescue Committee

concluded that approximately 1,700,000 people in the

eastern region of Congo had perished as a result of the

conflict;

Whereas the conflict has impoverished the Congolese, caused

great suffering to innocent civilians, including children,

and displaced millions of people within Congo and pushed

many more into neighboring countries;

Whereas economic mismanagement has made everyday life

for the Congolese the hardest ever endured in their history;

Whereas the Lusaka Peace Accord, entered into in 1999

among Congo, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Rwanda,

Uganda, and 3 major rebel groups, called for a cease fire,

a political dialogue, and the deployment of United Nations peace keepers;

Whereas President Laurent Kabila and all parties to the accord ignored and violated its provisions;

Whereas President Laurent Kabila blocked the United Nations from even beginning the process of deploying troops

in Congo; and

Whereas the conflict in Congo continues: Now, therefore, be

it
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1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) recognizes and commends those people of

4 the Democratic Republic of the Congo (commonly

5 referred to as ‘‘Congo’’) who have demonstrated

6 their love of peace, law, and order;

7 (2) condemns the assassination of Congolese

8 President Laurent Kabila;

9 (3) urges each party to the Lusaka Peace

10 Accord—

11 (A) to observe a cease-fire;

12 (B) to refrain from exploiting to its own

13 advantage the assassination of President

14 Laurent Kabila;

15 (C) to cooperate in the successful economic

16 reconstruction of Congo; and

17 (D) to abide by the terms of the accord

18 and solidify a transitional process that will lead

19 to peace and democracy for the Congolese, who

20 have endured brutal dictatorships for so long;

21 (4) affirms that the Lusaka Peace Accord is the

22 most viable means for achieving peace and stability

23 in Congo;

24 (5) calls on the United Nations to continue the

25 cooperative process of working with Belgium,
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1 France, and other nations in applying diplomatic

2 pressures necessary for democratic change in Congo;

3 (6) urges Rwanda, Uganda, Angola, Zimbabwe,

4 and all other governments involved in the Congolese

5 conflict to rise above their national concerns and act

6 in the interest of all the people of Africa;

7 (7) urges the President and the international

8 community—

9 (A) to continue to monitor violence in

10 Congo and condemn brutality against law abid11 ing citizens; and

12 (B) to work with the Government of Congo

13 and devise strategies for an equitable and viable

14 resolution to all of that nation’s internal con15 flicts; and

16 (8) recommends that the President encourage

17 the United Nations Security Council to consider all

18 options to stabilize the situation in Congo.

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