III

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 279

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

OCTOBER 5 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 12), 1994

Received

OCTOBER 8 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 12), 1994

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Condemning the July 13, 1994, sinking of the ‘‘13th of

March’’, a tugboat carrying 72 unarmed Cuban citizens,

by vessels of the Cuban Government.

Whereas there are credible reports that on July 13, 1994,

vessels of the Cuban Government fired high-pressure

water hoses, repeatedly rammed, and deliberately sank

the ‘‘13th of March’’, a tugboat carrying 72 unarmed

Cuban citizens;

Whereas approximately 40 of the men, women, and children

passengers on the ‘‘13th of March’’ drowned as a result

of the actions of the Cuban Government, including over

20 children aboard;

Whereas President Clinton deplored the sinking of the ‘‘13th

of March’’ as ‘‘another example of the brutal nature of

the Cuban regime’’;
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HCON 279 RFS

Whereas on August 20, 1994, the President pledged that

‘‘The United States will continue to bring before the

United Nations and other international organizations evidence of human rights abuses, such as the sinking of the

tugboat ‘13th of March.’ Meanwhile, we will pursue this

matter with vigor and determination.’’;

Whereas all of the male survivors of the ‘‘13th of March’’

have been imprisoned by the Cuban Government;

Whereas the freedom to emigrate is an internationally recognized human right and freedom’s fundamental guarantor

of last resort; and

Whereas the Cuban Government, by prohibiting the existence

of a free press and by jamming TV and Radio Marti, denies the Cuban people the right of free access to information, including information about this tragedy: Now,

therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) condemns the Cuban Government for delib4 erately sinking on July 13, 1994, the ‘‘13th of

5 March’’, a tugboat carrying 72 unarmed Cuban citi6 zens, causing the death of approximately 40 Cuban

7 citizens, including over 20 children;

8 (2) urges the President to direct the United

9 States Representative to the United Nations to urge

10 the United Nations Security Council to adopt a reso11 lution that—
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1 (A) condemns the sinking of the ‘‘13th of

2 March’’; and

3 (B) provides for a full internationally su4 pervised investigation of the incident;

5 (3) urges the President to direct the United

6 States Representative to the United Nations to urge

7 the United Nations High Commissioner for Human

8 Rights to investigate the sinking of the ‘‘13th of

9 March’’; and

10 (4) urges the Cuban Government—

11 (A) to release from prison and cease in12 timidation measures against all survivors of the

13 sinking of the ‘‘13th of March’’;

14 (B) to identify all individuals missing from

15 such sinking;

16 (C) to recover the bodies of the dead from

17 such sinking; and

18 (D) to return such bodies to their families

19 so that these men, women, and children may

20 have appropriate burial services.

Passed the House of Representatives October 4,

1994.

Attest: DONNALD K. ANDERSON,

Clerk.