IV

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 99

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.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 16, 1997

Mr. HOUGHTON (for himself, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HALL of Ohio,

Mr. ROYCE, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. SANFORD,

Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. BEREUTER,

and Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN) submitted the following concurrent resolution;

which was referred to the Committee on International 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
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•HCON 99 IH

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

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 Si-
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1 erra Leone in order to restore order and democracy

2 in the country;

3 (4) encourages all citizens of the Republic of Si4 erra Leone to work together to bring about a peace5 ful solution to the current conflict;

6 (5) reaffirms the United States support of the

7 democratically elected Government of the Republic

8 of Sierra Leone led by President Ahmed Tejan

9 Kabbah;

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

11 armed elements involved in the conflict to ensure the

12 protection and safety of international aid agencies

13 and personnel serving in the country, and allow

14 them unobstructed access to affected areas to deliver

15 emergency humanitarian relief to people in need;

16 and

17 (7) commends the Organization of African

18 Unity for calling on all African countries, and the

19 international community at large, to refrain from

20 recognizing the new regime or lending support in

21 any form whatsoever to the perpetrators of the coup

22 d’etat, the AFRC.

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