II 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1500 

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, and Mr. LUGAR) introduced the 

following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Relations 

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’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) When Zimbabwe achieved independence in 

9 1980, its economic and democratic prospects were 

10 bright and President Robert Mugabe was hailed as 


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

2 Zimbabwe has collapsed as income per capita has 

3 fallen below the 1953 level and President Mugabe’s 

4 Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front 

5 (ZANU–PF) government has increasingly and sys6 tematically exercised repression of political opposi7 tion and engaged in violations of human rights. 

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

9 Report on Human Rights Practices states that 

10 Zimbabwe’s 2002 presidential election and 2005 

11 parliamentary elections were neither free nor fair, 

12 and reports that President Mugabe’s government 

13 interfered with the campaign activities of the opposi14 tion, intimidated voters, and distributed food in a 

15 partisan manner. 

16 (3) The Department of State Report also finds 

17 that the Government of Zimbabwe continues to— 

18 (A) restrict freedom of assembly, move19 ment, and association; 

20 (B) forcibly evict civilians from their land; 

21 and 

22 (C) harass and abuse members of the op23 position, the media, the religious community, 

24 civil society, and organized labor. 


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1 (4) According to the Freedom House Freedom 

2 in the World 2007 report, ‘‘In 2006, Zimbabwe suf3 fered from a further deterioration of political rights 

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

5 country’s economy.’’. 

6 (5) Zimbabwe is a member of the United Na7 tions, the African Union, the Southern African De8 velopment Community, the African Development 

9 Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the 

10 World Trade Organization, and a party to the Uni11 versal Declaration of Human Rights, the African 

12 Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the 

13 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

14 (6) Section 2 of the Zimbabwe Democracy and 

15 Economic Recovery Act of 2001 (Public Law 107– 

16 99; 22 U.S.C. 2151 note) states, ‘‘It is the policy of 

17 the United States to support the people of 

18 Zimbabwe in their struggle to effect peaceful, demo19 cratic change, achieve broad-based and equitable 

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

21 (7) In 2002 and 2003, the United States im22 posed financial and immigration sanctions targeted 

23 against selected individuals, a ban on the transfer of 

24 defense items and services, and a suspension of non25 humanitarian government-to-government assistance, 


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1 although the United States remains one of the lead2 ing providers of humanitarian assistance to the peo3 ple of Zimbabwe. 

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

5 the United States, human rights organizations, and 

6 many others have condemned the security forces of 

7 Zimbabwe for the beating, detention, and arrest of 

8 opposition and civil society members attending a 

9 prayer meeting on March 11, 2007. 

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

11 Southern African Development Community an12 nounced that the President of South Africa, Thabo 

13 Mbeki, will mediate between President Mugabe and 

14 the opposition Movement for Democratic Change in 

15 advance of the 2008 presidential election, but failed 

16 to condemn the Government of Zimbabwe for its 

17 human rights abuses and restriction of democratic 

18 space. 

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

20 that the ZANU–PF central committee had chosen 

21 President Mugabe as the party’s candidate for the 

22 2008 election and that the parliamentary elections 

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

24 (11) A Human Rights Watch report released in 

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


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1 and brutal beatings by police and security forces 

2 skyrocketed in March and April, and continue 

3 unabated. . . . The Zimbabwean government is vio4 lating the human rights of its citizens with impu5 nity.’’. 

6 SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

7 It is the policy of the United States— 

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

9 efforts to promote democracy and respect for human 

10 rights in Zimbabwe; and 

11 (2) to call on President Mugabe to immediately 

12 restore democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe. 

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

14 The following is the sense of Congress: 

15 (1) The United States welcomes and commends 

16 the announcement by the Southern African Develop17 ment Community that the President of South Africa, 

18 Thabo Mbeki, will lead negotiations between the rul19 ing and opposition parties in Zimbabwe to resolve 

20 the political and humanitarian crisis in a way that 

21 reflects the will of the people of Zimbabwe and re22 spects international standards. 

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

24 those who want to participate in the political process 

25 in Zimbabwe and the encouragement of transVerDate Aug 31 2005 20:28 May 27, 2007 Jkt 059196 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1500.IS S1500

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1 parency in the political process should be priority ob2 jectives in the negotiations. 

3 (3) All preparations should be made to hold 

4 free, fair, and peaceful elections in accordance with 

5 international standards, such as the Southern Afri6 can Development Community Parliamentary Forum 

7 Election Norms and Guidelines. 

8 (4) Cooperation between the United States, re9 gional players in Africa, and the wider international 

10 community is an important component of a proactive 

11 strategy to support democratic rule and respect for 

12 human rights in Zimbabwe. 

13 (5) Normalized relations with the Government 

14 of Zimbabwe are desirable, but until the Government 

15 of Zimbabwe promotes democracy and the rule of 

16 law, the United States will continue to isolate the 

17 Government of Zimbabwe and expand financial and 

18 travel sanctions targeted against those responsible 

19 for repressing the people of Zimbabwe. 

20 (6) The United States Permanent Representa21 tive to the United Nations should use the voice and 

22 vote of the United States in the United Nations Se23 curity Council to emphasize the threat to inter24 national peace and security posed by the Govern25 ment of Zimbabwe. 


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1 SEC. 5. BRIEFING. 

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

3 date of the enactment of this Act, and quarterly there4 after, the Secretary of State shall provide to Congress a 

5 briefing on the strategy of the United States for engage6 ment with Zimbabwe. 

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

8 (a) shall include the following: 

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

10 United States to support the people of Zimbabwe in 

11 their efforts to promote democratic rule and respect 

12 for human rights in Zimbabwe, including support for 

13 free, fair and peaceful elections. 

14 (2) An assessment of the resources necessary to 

15 most effectively enable Zimbabwe to return peace16 fully to a state of democratic governance, with re17 spect for human rights and the rule of law. 

18 (3) A diplomatic strategy for engaging and en19 couraging regional partners in Africa to help facili20 tate the transition of Zimbabwe to democracy. 

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

22 further deterioration of the situation in Zimbabwe. 

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

24 improvement in the situation in Zimbabwe. 

25 (6) Indicators of progress toward democracy 

26 and respect for human rights that would allow for 


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1 the removal of targeted bilateral sanctions on 

2 Zimbabwe and strengthened relations with the Gov3 ernment of Zimbabwe. 

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

5 the extent possible, develop the strategy described in sub6 section (a) in consultation with— 

7 (1) the United Nations; 

8 (2) the African Union; 

9 (3) the Southern African Development Commu10 nity; 

11 (4) other multilateral organizations; and 

12 (5) interested States. 

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

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

15 the date of the enactment of this Act. 

16 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi18 sion of law, there are authorized to be appropriated up 

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

20 (b). 

21 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose described in this sub22 section is to support democracy and governance activities 

23 in Zimbabwe consistent with the provisions of the 

24 Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 


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1 2001 (Public Law 107–99; 22 U.S.C. 2151 note), includ2 ing through— 

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

4 elections in accordance with international standards; 

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

6 create nonviolent political space in Zimbabwe; and 

7 (3) support for programs to defend and protect 

8 the human rights of the people of Zimbabwe. 

Æ 


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