III

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 156

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

NOVEMBER 10, 1997

Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing concern for the continued deterioration of human

rights in Afghanistan and emphasizing the need for a

peaceful political settlement in that country.

Whereas Congress recognizes that the legacy of civil conflict

in Afghanistan during the last 17 years has had a devastating effect on the civilian population in that country,

killing 2,000,000 people and displacing more than

7,000,000, and has had a particularly negative impact on

the rights and security of women and girls;
2

HCON 156 RFS

Whereas the Department of State’s Country Reports on

Human Practices for 1996 states: ‘‘Serious human rights

violations continue to occur [. . .] political killings, torture, rape, arbitrary detention, looting, abductions and

kidnappings for ransom were committed by armed units,

local commanders and rogue individuals.’’;

Whereas the Afghan combatants are responsible for numerous abhorrent human rights abuses, including the rape,

sexual abuse, torture, abduction, and persecution of

women and girls;

Whereas drug proliferation has increased in Afghanistan;

Whereas Congress is disturbed by the upsurge of reported

human rights abuses in Afghanistan, including extreme

restrictions placed on women and girls;

Whereas safe haven has been provided to suspected terrorists

and terrorist camps may be allowed to operate in Afghanistan;

Whereas Afghanistan is a sovereign nation and must work to

solve its internal disputes; and

Whereas Afghanistan and the United States recognize international human rights conventions, such as the Universal

Declaration on Human Rights, which espouse respect for

basic human rights of all individuals without regard to

race, religion, ethnicity, or gender: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring),

3 SECTION 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY.

4 The Congress hereby—
3

HCON 156 RFS

1 (1) deplores the violations of international hu2 manitarian law in Afghanistan and raises concern

3 over the reported cases of stoning, public executions,

4 and street beatings;

5 (2) condemns the targeted discrimination

6 against women and girls and expresses deep concern

7 regarding the prohibition of employment and edu8 cation for women and girls;

9 (3) urges the Taliban and all other parties in

10 Afghanistan to cease providing safe haven to sus11 pected terrorists or permitting Afghan territory to

12 be used for terrorist training; and

13 (4) takes note of the continued armed conflict

14 in Afghanistan, affirms the need for peace negotia15 tions and expresses hope that the Afghan parties

16 will agree to a cease-fire throughout the country.

17 SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

18 It is the sense of Congress that the President—

19 (1) should continue to monitor the human

20 rights situation in Afghanistan and should call for

21 adherence by all factions in Afghanistan to inter22 national humanitarian law;

23 (2) should call for an end to the systematic dis24 crimination and harassment of women and girls in

25 Afghanistan;
4

HCON 156 RFS

1 (3) should encourage efforts to procure a dura2 ble peace in Afghanistan and should support the ef3 forts of the United Nations Special Envoy Secretary

4 General Lakhdar Brahimi to assist in brokering a

5 peaceful resolution to years of conflict;

6 (4) should call upon all countries with influence

7 to use their influence on the contending factions to

8 end the fighting and come to the negotiating table,

9 abide by internationally recognized norms of behav10 ior, cease human rights violations, end provision of

11 safe haven to terrorists and close terrorist training

12 camps, and reverse discriminatory policies against

13 women and girls;

14 (5) should call upon all nations to cease provid15 ing financial assistance, arms, and other kinds of

16 support to the militaries or political organizations of

17 any factions in Afghanistan; and

18 (6) should support efforts by Aghan individuals

19 to establish a cessation of hostilities and a transi20 tional multiparty government leading to freedom, re21 spect for human rights, and free and fair elections.

Passed the House of Representatives November 9,

1997.

Attest: ROBIN H. CARLE,

Clerk.