III

Calendar No. 174

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

SEPTEMBER 24, 1997

Reported by Mr. HELMS, without amendment

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;
2

•HCON 99 RS

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

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) condemns the leaders and members of the

4 rebellious Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) for

5 ousting the democratically elected Government of the

6 Republic of Sierra Leone, including President

7 Ahmed Tejan Kabbah;

8 (2) urges an immediate end to all violence in

9 the Republic of Sierra Leone;

10 (3) encourages the members of the AFRC to

11 negotiate a hand-over of power back to the demo12 cratically elected Government of the Republic of Si13 erra Leone in order to restore order and democracy

14 in the country;
3

•HCON 99 RS

1 (4) encourages all citizens of the Republic of Si2 erra Leone to work together to bring about a peace3 ful solution to the current conflict;

4 (5) reaffirms the United States support of the

5 democratically elected Government of the Republic

6 of Sierra Leone led by President Ahmed Tejan

7 Kabbah;

8 (6) urges the members of the AFRC and all

9 armed elements involved in the conflict to ensure the

10 protection and safety of international aid agencies

11 and personnel serving in the country, and allow

12 them unobstructed access to affected areas to deliver

13 emergency humanitarian relief to people in need;

14 and

15 (7) commends the Organization of African

16 Unity for calling on all African countries, and the

17 international community at large, to refrain from

18 recognizing the new regime or lending support in

19 any form whatsoever to the perpetrators of the coup

20 d’etat, the AFRC.

Passed the House of Representatives July 22, 1997.

Attest: ROBIN H. CARLE,

Clerk.
Calendar No. 174

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 99

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing concern over recent events in the Recratically elected president. military coup d’etat of that country’s first demo- public of Sierra Leone in the wake of the recent

SEPTEMBER 24, 1997

Reported without amendment