IV

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 115

Concerning the promotion of peace, stability, and democracy in Zaire.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 16, 1997

Mr. ROYCE (for himself, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr.

HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. HAMILTON, Mr.

BEREUTER, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. KIM, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr.

GEJDENSON, and Mr. BERMAN) submitted the following resolution; which

was referred to the Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Concerning the promotion of peace, stability, and democracy

in Zaire.

Whereas Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko’s 31-year rule

has turned his potentially prosperous country into one of

the world’s poorest, where human suffering long has been

widespread;

Whereas the Mobutu Government has systematically violated

the human rights and undermined the security of Zaire’s

46,000,000 people;

Whereas the Mobutu Government has proven itself unwilling

to allow a genuine transition to multi-party democracy

and continues to cling to power against the best interests

of Zaire’s people;
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Whereas the Mobutu Government permitted the circulation of

extremist propaganda in the refugee camps that undermined voluntary repatriation efforts of the United Nations High Commission on Refugees;

Whereas the international community is concerned about the

humanitarian needs of the hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced Zairians;

Whereas there are continuing reports of human rights violations by all parties that stem from the continued fighting

in Zaire;

Whereas representatives of the Zairian Government and the

Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of

Congo-Zaire (ADFL) negotiated in South Africa, under

the supervision of the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity, with no cease-fire agreement; and

Whereas the objectives of the United States Government,

achieving the cessation of hostilities and achieving political reforms in Zaire, continue to be stymied: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That—

2 (1) it is the sense of the House of Representa3 tives that—

4 (A) President Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire

5 should immediately resign from the office of the

6 Presidency of Zaire, leave Zaire, and withdraw

7 from all political activity;

8 (B) the United States Government should

9 unequivocally call on Mobutu Sese Seko to im-
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1 mediately leave Zaire and withdraw from all po2 litical activity;

3 (C) the United States should continue to

4 distance itself and its foreign policy from Presi5 dent Mobutu and his government in order to

6 hasten his departure from Zaire’s government

7 and political life;

8 (D) the United States should work with all

9 interested African and European nations to op10 pose the presence in Zaire of foreign govern11 ment and mercenary forces, halt the flow of

12 arms into the country, and encourage the war13 ring parties to negotiate a cease-fire leading to

14 a lasting peace; and

15 (E) the United States Government should

16 play a leading role in the international effort in

17 supporting the creation of a broad-based transi18 tional government of national unity composed of

19 all democratic forces in Zaire; and

20 (2) the House of Representatives supports the

21 creation in Zaire of the enabling environment nec22 essary to conduct democratic, multi-party elections

23 at the earliest feasible time, as well as the necessary

24 conditions to establish the rule of law, respect for
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1 human rights, and the effective provision of humani2 tarian assistance.

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