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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 214 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 214

   Urging the President to promote political stability in Tajikistan 
 through efforts to encourage political resolution of the conflict and 
  respect for human rights and through the provision of humanitarian 
  assistance and (subject to certain conditions) economic assistance.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 3, 1994

     Mr. Andrews of New Jersey submitted the following concurrent 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
   Urging the President to promote political stability in Tajikistan 
 through efforts to encourage political resolution of the conflict and 
  respect for human rights and through the provision of humanitarian 
  assistance and (subject to certain conditions) economic assistance.

Whereas the conflict in Tajikistan between the government and opposition forces 
        has caused the death of tens of thousands of persons and has displaced 
        500,000 persons, one-tenth of the country's 5,400,000 people;
Whereas the conflict has been characterized on all sides by gross human rights 
        violations, abuses, and brutalities, including the murders of children, 
        pregnant women, and babies, widespread use of torture, and summary 
        executions;
Whereas governments have a particular responsibility to provide security for 
        their citizens regardless of ethnic or regional background;
Whereas the number of human rights violations has diminished and the government 
        has made progress in this direction;
Whereas the current violence in Afghanistan has the potential to cause conflict 
        along ethnic lines between Tajiks and Uzbeks in Afghanistan, 
        exacerbating the stressful situation in Tajikistan;
Whereas such a development could ignite existing tensions to the north of 
        Afghanistan;
Whereas a regional conflagration and the attending military adventurism could 
        encourage further Russian involvement, hindering economic and political 
        reform in Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union;
Whereas a stable Tajikistan provides an invaluable buffer zone between 
        instability in Afghanistan and Tajikistan's neighbors who still possess 
        nuclear weapons;
Whereas the United Nations Security Council has called upon all parties to reach 
        a political solution and seek national reconciliation;
Whereas the Rome ministerial meeting of the Conference on Security and 
        Cooperation in Europe in November 1993 reiterated concern over the 
        situation in Tajikistan and expressed determination to help stabilize 
        the situation;
Whereas through the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the 
        United Nations to Tajikistan, negotiations are being planned;
Whereas the success of a truly representative government will assist with the 
        development of a peaceful and stable Central Asia and beyond;
Whereas the United States as the one remaining superpower has a moral obligation 
        to speak out in opposition to the conflict and brutalities that have 
        occurred in Tajikistan, and to aid in the reconstruction of the country 
        and encourage other nations to do so;
Whereas the United States has successfully responded to urgent needs for food 
        and other humanitarian assistance in the past;
Whereas food access rather than availability will be the critical problem facing 
        Tajikistan during the remainder of 1994;
Whereas there remain large shortages of necessary building materials, wheat, 
        cooking oil, soap, and shoes;
Whereas the lack of fuel nationwide will delay food shipments to Gorno 
        Badakshan, creating severe food shortages in that region, and has the 
        potential to cripple the economy;
Whereas economic assistance can sometimes be given through nongovernmental 
        organizations, in the form of microdevelopment projects, thus supporting 
        the economy from the bottom up;
Whereas continued support for the presence of the United Nations and other 
        international organizations and for microdevelopment projects could 
        encourage the peaceful return and reintegration of refugees and 
        displaced Tajiks;
Whereas any unconditional economic assistance for the central government in 
        Dushanbe, by any party, amounts to a failure to take advantage of 
        political leverage to support national reconciliation and human rights; 
        and
Whereas the economy of Tajikistan is in transition and could move forward or may 
        collapse: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that the President--
            (1) should support existing efforts at national 
        reconciliation in Tajikistan, including--
                    (A) those of the Conference on Security and 
                Cooperation in Europe, and
                    (B) the current diplomatic initiatives, through the 
                office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of 
                the United Nations to Tajikistan, to convene 
                negotiations leading to an end to the fighting, 
                democratic elections, the creation of political 
                parties, and the development of a stable, pluralist 
                government;
            (2) should seek, through his good offices, to obtain full 
        respect by the Government of Tajikistan for basic freedoms and 
        internationally recognized human rights, including full 
        implementation of Conference on Security and Cooperation in 
        Europe commitments;
            (3) should maintain support for humanitarian assistance to 
        the people of Tajikistan, including assistance for refugees, 
        internally displaced persons, and returnees, with an eye for 
        encouraging self-sufficiency in as many sectors as possible;
            (4) should urge the international community to make similar 
        commitments;
            (5) should seek to ensure that a substantial portion of 
        assistance provided to Tajikistan is channeled through 
        nongovernmental organizations; and
            (6) should seek to ensure that economic assistance is 
        provided directly to the Government of Tajikistan only if it is 
        making significant progress in--
                    (A) protecting and facilitating the activities of 
                human rights groups, including their monitoring of 
                human rights abuses by or upon any party and the 
                training of local human rights organizations;
                    (B) participating in and otherwise facilitating 
                conflict resolution efforts;
                    (C) terminating interference in the nonviolent 
                activities of the political opposition;
                    (D) allowing the International Committee of the Red 
                Cross to visit prisoners in accordance with its 
                mandate, which includes private interviews with 
                prisoners;
                    (E) participating in and otherwise facilitating the 
                compilation of a list of all those who have been 
                extrajudicially executed or have disappeared; and
                    (F) facilitating the protection and reintegration 
                of returnees.

                                 <all>
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