`[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 99 Referred in Senate (RFS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 99


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 23, 1997

      Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing concern over recent events in the Republic of Sierra Leone 
in the wake of the recent military coup d'etat of that country's first 
                   democratically elected president.

Whereas for the first time in almost 30 years, the Republic of Sierra Leone held 
        their first truly democratic multiparty elections to elect a president 
        and parliament and put an end to military rule;
Whereas the elections held on February 26, 1996, and the subsequent runoff 
        election held on March 15, 1996, were deemed by international and 
        domestic observers to be 
        free and fair and legitimate expressions of the will of the 
        people of the Republic of Sierra Leone;
Whereas on May 25, 1997, a military coup d'etat against the democratically 
        elected Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone, including President 
        Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, took place;
Whereas the coup d'etat, led by Major Johnny Paul Koroma and the Armed Forces 
        Ruling Council (AFRC) on May 25, 1997, signifies a giant step backward 
        for freedom and democracy in the Republic of Sierra Leone;
Whereas there has been fighting, killing, looting and a disruption of relief 
        supplies in the Republic of Sierra Leone since the coup d'etat; and
Whereas the best solution to this crisis would be a peaceful solution: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) condemns the leaders and members of the rebellious 
        Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) for ousting the 
        democratically elected Government of the Republic of Sierra 
        Leone, including President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah;
            (2) urges an immediate end to all violence in the Republic 
        of Sierra Leone;
            (3) encourages the members of the AFRC to negotiate a hand-
        over of power back to the democratically elected Government of 
        the Republic of Sierra Leone in order to restore order and 
        democracy in the country;
            (4) encourages all citizens of the Republic of Sierra Leone 
        to work together to bring about a peaceful solution to the 
        current conflict;
            (5) reaffirms the United States support of the 
        democratically elected Government of the Republic of Sierra 
        Leone led by President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah;
            (6) urges the members of the AFRC and all armed elements 
        involved in the conflict to ensure the protection and safety of 
        international aid agencies and personnel serving in the 
        country, and allow them unobstructed access to affected areas 
        to deliver emergency humanitarian relief to people in need; and
            (7) commends the Organization of African Unity for calling 
        on all African countries, and the international community at 
        large, to refrain from recognizing the new regime or lending 
        support in 
        any form whatsoever to the perpetrators of the coup d'etat, the 
        AFRC.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 22, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.`