105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 277

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Concerning the New Tribes Mission hostage crisis.
105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 277

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas Mark Rich, David Mankins, and Rick Tenenoff of

the Sanford, Florida, based New Tribes Mission were abducted on January 31, 1993, from the Kuna Indian village of Pucuro in the Darien Province of Panama;

Whereas the wives and children of these American citizens,

Tania Rich (daughters—Tamra and Jessica), Nancy

Mankins (son—Chad, daughter—Sarah), and Patti
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Tenenoff (son—Richard Lee III, daughters—Dora and

Connie), have lived the past 5 years without knowledge

of the safety of these 3 men;

Whereas Mark Rich, David Mankins, and Rick Tenenoff

presently are believed to be the longest held United

States hostages;

Whereas this kidnapping represents a gross violation of the

3 missionaries’ human rights and is not an isolated incident in Colombia where, since 1980, 83 innocent Americans have been held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed

Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation

Army (ELN);

Whereas the FARC and the ELN guerrilla groups in Colombia have both been designated terrorist organizations by

the Department of State;

Whereas Colombia is engaged in a high-level conflict with

these guerrilla insurgency groups, a number of whom are

protectorates of the deadly drug trade;

Whereas the FARC has recently threatened officials of the

United States Government and kidnapped additional

United States citizens in Colombia;

Whereas the region of Colombia where the 3 American missionaries are believed to be held is controlled not by the

Colombian Government, but rather by the FARC;

Whereas on December 9, 1997, the President of Colombia

stated on an internationally televised episode of Larry

King Live that the FARC ‘‘in some ways have admitted

indirectly that they have the missionaries’’;

Whereas Human Rights Watch has stated that ‘‘The FARC

has an obligation to unconditionally free the 3 missionaries, with all necessary guarantees’’ and Amnesty Inter-
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national has declared their ‘‘request that the FARC respect international humanitarian norms, guarantee the

life and physical safety of the missionaries and unconditionally free them and all other hostages’’;

Whereas congressional inquiries regarding the 3 missionaries

have been made to United States Government entities,

including, the White House, the Department of State, the

Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and

the Federal Bureau of Investigation;

Whereas congressional inquiries regarding the 3 missionaries

have been made to Amnesty International, Pax Christi,

His Holiness the Pope John Paul II, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has provided

assurances that their Colombian delegation ‘‘is still actively working in favor of the missing members of the

New Tribes Mission’’;

Whereas 58 Members of Congress and Senators signed letters

to 8 different heads of state, including Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Spain, Venezuela, Guatemala, Colombia,

and Portugal, in attendance at the Iberian-American

Conference in Venezuela in November of 1997, requesting any and all assistance in order to bring about a favorable outcome to this unfortunate event;

Whereas no official confirmation of life or death has been

made by any United States Government entity, nongovernmental organization, foreign government, or religious institution;

Whereas the distinction between a ‘‘terrorist activity’’ and a

‘‘criminal activity’’ perpetrated on an American citizen

traveling abroad should not be a limiting factor in terms

of United States governmental investigation; and
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Whereas every consideration to safety and prudence regarding action by the United States Government, foreign governments, nongovernmental organizations, international

institutions, and other groups in this matter should be of

the highest priority: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That—

3 (1) the President of the United States and his

4 emissaries should raise the kidnapping of Mark

5 Rich, David Mankins, and Rick Tenenoff of the New

6 Tribes Mission and other American victims in Co7 lombia to all relevant foreign governments, non8 governmental organizations, and religious institu9 tions at every opportunity until a favorable outcome

10 is achieved;

11 (2) the international community should encour12 age any and all groups believed to have information

13 on this case to come forward to help the families of

14 the kidnapped missionaries;

15 (3) all appropriate information obtained by the

16 United States Government, foreign governments,

17 international institutions, nongovernmental organiza18 tions, and religious institutions should be turned

19 over in a timely basis to the New Tribes Mission cri20 sis response team;
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1 (4) a copy of this resolution shall be transmit2 ted to the President, the Secretary of State, the Na3 tional Security Advisor, the Secretary of Defense,

4 the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,

5 the Director of Central Intelligence, the President of

6 the Republic of Costa Rica, the President of the

7 United Mexican States, the President of the Repub8 lic of Panama, the King of Spain, the President of

9 the Republic of Venezuela, the President of the Re10 public of Guatemala, the President of the Republic

11 of Colombia, the President of the Republic of Por12 tugal, and His Holiness Pope John Paul II; and

13 (5) a copy of this resolution shall be transmit14 ted to the New Tribes Mission, Amnesty Inter15 national, Pax Christi, and the International Commit16 tee of the Red Cross.

Passed the House of Representatives September 9,

1998.

Attest:

Clerk.