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Calendar No. 284 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1500 

[Report No. 110–136] 

To support democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 24, 2007 

Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. KERRY, Mr. 

CASEY, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mrs. DOLE, and 

Mr. HAGEL) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

JULY 24, 2007 

Reported by Mr. BIDEN, without amendment 

A BILL 

To support democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Support for Democracy 

5 and Human Rights in Zimbabwe Act of 2007’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress makes the following findings: 

3 (1) When Zimbabwe achieved independence in 

4 1980, its economic and democratic prospects were 

5 bright and President Robert Mugabe was hailed as 

6 a liberator. However, 27 years later, the economy of 

7 Zimbabwe has collapsed as income per capita has 

8 fallen below the 1953 level and President Mugabe’s 

9 Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front 

10 (ZANU–PF) government has increasingly and sys11 tematically exercised repression of political opposi12 tion and engaged in violations of human rights. 

13 (2) The Department of State’s 2006 Country 

14 Report on Human Rights Practices states that 

15 Zimbabwe’s 2002 presidential election and 2005 

16 parliamentary elections were neither free nor fair, 

17 and reports that President Mugabe’s government 

18 interfered with the campaign activities of the opposi19 tion, intimidated voters, and distributed food in a 

20 partisan manner. 

21 (3) The Department of State Report also finds 

22 that the Government of Zimbabwe continues to— 

23 (A) restrict freedom of assembly, move24 ment, and association; 

25 (B) forcibly evict civilians from their land; 

26 and 


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1 (C) harass and abuse members of the op2 position, the media, the religious community, 

3 civil society, and organized labor. 

4 (4) According to the Freedom House Freedom 

5 in the World 2007 report, ‘‘In 2006, Zimbabwe suf6 fered from a further deterioration of political rights 

7 and civil liberties amid a near-total collapse of the 

8 country’s economy.’’. 

9 (5) Zimbabwe is a member of the United Na10 tions, the African Union, the Southern African De11 velopment Community, the African Development 

12 Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the 

13 World Trade Organization, and a party to the Uni14 versal Declaration of Human Rights, the African 

15 Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the 

16 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

17 (6) Section 2 of the Zimbabwe Democracy and 

18 Economic Recovery Act of 2001 (Public Law 107– 

19 99; 22 U.S.C. 2151 note) states, ‘‘It is the policy of 

20 the United States to support the people of 

21 Zimbabwe in their struggle to effect peaceful, demo22 cratic change, achieve broad-based and equitable 

23 economic growth, and restore the rule of law.’’. 

24 (7) In 2002 and 2003, the United States im25 posed financial and immigration sanctions targeted 


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1 against selected individuals, a ban on the transfer of 

2 defense items and services, and a suspension of non3 humanitarian government-to-government assistance, 

4 although the United States remains one of the lead5 ing providers of humanitarian assistance to the peo6 ple of Zimbabwe. 

7 (8) The United Nations, the European Union, 

8 the United States, human rights organizations, and 

9 many others have condemned the security forces of 

10 Zimbabwe for the beating, detention, and arrest of 

11 opposition and civil society members attending a 

12 prayer meeting on March 11, 2007. 

13 (9) In March 2007, the heads of state of the 

14 Southern African Development Community an15 nounced that the President of South Africa, Thabo 

16 Mbeki, will mediate between President Mugabe and 

17 the opposition Movement for Democratic Change in 

18 advance of the 2008 presidential election, but failed 

19 to condemn the Government of Zimbabwe for its 

20 human rights abuses and restriction of democratic 

21 space. 

22 (10) On March 30, 2007, it was announced 

23 that the ZANU–PF central committee had chosen 

24 President Mugabe as the party’s candidate for the 


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1 2008 election and that the parliamentary elections 

2 will also be held in 2008, instead of 2010. 

3 (11) A Human Rights Watch report released in 

4 May 2007 concluded, ‘‘Arbitrary arrests, detentions, 

5 and brutal beatings by police and security forces 

6 skyrocketed in March and April, and continue 

7 unabated. . . . The Zimbabwean government is vio8 lating the human rights of its citizens with impu9 nity.’’. 

10 SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

11 It is the policy of the United States— 

12 (1) to support the people of Zimbabwe in their 

13 efforts to promote democracy and respect for human 

14 rights in Zimbabwe; and 

15 (2) to call on President Mugabe to immediately 

16 restore democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe. 

17 SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE CRISIS IN ZIMBABWE. 

18 The following is the sense of Congress: 

19 (1) The United States welcomes and commends 

20 the announcement by the Southern African Develop21 ment Community that the President of South Africa, 

22 Thabo Mbeki, will lead negotiations between the rul23 ing and opposition parties in Zimbabwe to resolve 

24 the political and humanitarian crisis in a way that 


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1 reflects the will of the people of Zimbabwe and re2 spects international standards. 

3 (2) The creation of a level playing field for 

4 those who want to participate in the political process 

5 in Zimbabwe and the encouragement of trans6 parency in the political process should be priority ob7 jectives in the negotiations. 

8 (3) All preparations should be made to hold 

9 free, fair, and peaceful elections in accordance with 

10 international standards, such as the Southern Afri11 can Development Community Parliamentary Forum 

12 Election Norms and Guidelines. 

13 (4) Cooperation between the United States, re14 gional players in Africa, and the wider international 

15 community is an important component of a proactive 

16 strategy to support democratic rule and respect for 

17 human rights in Zimbabwe. 

18 (5) Normalized relations with the Government 

19 of Zimbabwe are desirable, but until the Government 

20 of Zimbabwe promotes democracy and the rule of 

21 law, the United States will continue to isolate the 

22 Government of Zimbabwe and expand financial and 

23 travel sanctions targeted against those responsible 

24 for repressing the people of Zimbabwe. 


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1 (6) The United States Permanent Representa2 tive to the United Nations should use the voice and 

3 vote of the United States in the United Nations Se4 curity Council to emphasize the threat to inter5 national peace and security posed by the Govern6 ment of Zimbabwe. 

7 SEC. 5. BRIEFING. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 

9 date of the enactment of this Act, and quarterly there10 after, the Secretary of State shall provide to Congress a 

11 briefing on the strategy of the United States for engage12 ment with Zimbabwe. 

13 (b) CONTENT.—The briefing required by subsection 

14 (a) shall include the following: 

15 (1) The details of a comprehensive policy of the 

16 United States to support the people of Zimbabwe in 

17 their efforts to promote democratic rule and respect 

18 for human rights in Zimbabwe, including support for 

19 free, fair and peaceful elections. 

20 (2) An assessment of the resources necessary to 

21 most effectively enable Zimbabwe to return peace22 fully to a state of democratic governance, with re23 spect for human rights and the rule of law. 


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1 (3) A diplomatic strategy for engaging and en2 couraging regional partners in Africa to help facili3 tate the transition of Zimbabwe to democracy. 

4 (4) A review of policy options in the event of 

5 further deterioration of the situation in Zimbabwe. 

6 (5) A review of policy options in the event of an 

7 improvement in the situation in Zimbabwe. 

8 (6) Indicators of progress toward democracy 

9 and respect for human rights that would allow for 

10 the removal of targeted bilateral sanctions on 

11 Zimbabwe and strengthened relations with the Gov12 ernment of Zimbabwe. 

13 (c) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary of State shall, to 

14 the extent possible, develop the strategy described in sub15 section (a) in consultation with— 

16 (1) the United Nations; 

17 (2) the African Union; 

18 (3) the Southern African Development Commu19 nity; 

20 (4) other multilateral organizations; and 

21 (5) interested States. 

22 (d) SUNSET.—The requirements of this section shall 

23 cease to be effective after the date that is 3 years after 

24 the date of the enactment of this Act. 


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1 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi3 sion of law, there are authorized to be appropriated up 

4 to $10,000,000 for the purpose described in subsection 

5 (b). 

6 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose described in this sub7 section is to support democracy and governance activities 

8 in Zimbabwe consistent with the provisions of the 

9 Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 

10 2001 (Public Law 107–99; 22 U.S.C. 2151 note), includ11 ing through— 

12 (1) support for free, fair, and peaceful national 

13 elections in accordance with international standards; 

14 (2) support for the capacity of civil society to 

15 create nonviolent political space in Zimbabwe; and 

16 (3) support for programs to defend and protect 

17 the human rights of the people of Zimbabwe. 


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Calendar No. 284 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1500 

[Report No. 110

–136] 

A BILL 

To support democracy and human rights in 

Zimbabwe, and for other purposes. 

JULY 24, 2007 

Reported without amendment 


hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS