IV

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 260

Condemning the Nigerian dictatorship for its abuse of United States

Ambassador Walter Carrington.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 6, 1997

Ms. WATERS (for herself, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. KLECZKA, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr.

HINCHEY, Mr. NADLER, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. CLAY, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia,

Mr. PAYNE, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. WYNN, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr.

THOMPSON, Mrs. CLAYTON, Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Mr. MILLER of California, Mr. SAWYER, Mr. MOLLOHAN, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr.

DAVIS of Florida, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. WISE, Mr. ORTIZ,

Mr. GREEN, Mr. FROST, Mr. FAZIO of California, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr.

GORDON, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. DIXON, Mr. BISHOP, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE

JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. MALONEY of Connecticut, Mr.

WATT of North Carolina, Ms. FURSE, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. FORD, Mr.

STRICKLAND, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. REYES, Mr.

BLAGOJEVICH, Mr. EVANS, Mr. POSHARD, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. SCOTT, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts, Mr.

HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms.

JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms. HARMAN, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. FARR of

California, Mr. EDWARDS, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. HALL of

Ohio, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. HOYER, Mr. HEFNER, Mr. CONDIT, Mr. BOYD,

Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms. DANNER, and Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon) submitted

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Condemning the Nigerian dictatorship for its abuse of United

States Ambassador Walter Carrington.
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•HRES 260 IH

Whereas the Nigerian Government has conducted a campaign

of intimidation and harassment against the United States

Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington, throughout

his tenure including—

(1) accusing the United States of attempting to destabilize the Government of Nigeria;

(2) attempting to strip the Ambassador of diplomatic immunity in an effort to create false charges

against him relating to a series of bombings; and

(3) harassing, intimidating, and embarrassing the

Ambassador;

Whereas the United States has already imposed limited sanctions against Nigeria following a series of abuses including—

(1) the imprisonment of the duly elected President

Moshood K.O. Abiola, arrested and imprisoned by current dictator Sani Abacha;

(2) the execution by hanging of Ken Saro-Wiwa and

8 Ogoni environmental activists, universally condemned

by the international community as a travesty of justice;

and

(3) the State Department’s classification of Nigeria

as a major drug-trafficking country in May 1994, followed by Nigeria’s continuing refusal to cooperate on

anti-narcotics efforts;

Whereas the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter

Carrington, has suffered harassment, physical intimida-
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•HRES 260 IH

tion, and embarrassment throughout his tenure as Ambassador;

Whereas a farewell reception was organized for United States

Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington, by some 15

Nigerian prodemocracy and human rights groups, including the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO);

Whereas at 6:15 p.m. on September 18, 1997, Ambassador

Carrington, accompanied by 4 other Embassy officials,

was enroute to the reception;

Whereas Ambassador Carrington’s car was intercepted by vehicles and armed security forces and was prevented from

proceeding to the residence where the reception was

scheduled to occur;

Whereas Ambassador Carrington, having been forcibly barred

from proceeding to the designated reception site, went to

the private residential compound that had been designated as an alternative venue for the reception;

Whereas upon the arrival of Ambassador Carrington at the

alternative venue at 7:15 p.m., the Ambassador was

greeted by approximately 100 people waiting in an open

yard surrounded by a high cement wall and a tall metal

gate;

Whereas, around 7:30 p.m., approximately 20 uniformed security forces, heavily armed with automatic weapons,

pounded on the gate, broke the lock, and entered the

compound;

Whereas members of the Nigerian security forces rushed into

the reception shouting at the guests, and cocking their

weapons in an aggressive attempt to break up the gathering;
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•HRES 260 IH

Whereas 1 armed police officer threatened to shoot a human

rights activist who was attempting to address the crowd;

Whereas Ambassador Carrington quickly departed the

compound with other Embassy officers and diplomats

under duress;

Whereas the United States Department of State has lodged

numerous complaints prior to this incident and several

formal protests following these events with the Nigerian

Government; and

Whereas the Nigerian Government has neither explained nor

apologized for the incidents of September 18, 1997, instead, the Nigerian Minister for Presidential Affairs publicly derided the United States Ambassador’s tenure as

‘‘four years of waste during which nothing was accomplished’’: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) finds that the actions of the Nigerian secu3 rity forces on September 18, 1997, are the culmina4 tion of a campaign of political intimidation and per5 sonal harassment against United States Ambassador

6 Carrington by the regime of dictator Sani Abacha;

7 (2) condemns the Abacha dictatorship in Nige8 ria for these outrageous acts;

9 (3) calls for the United States Department of

10 State to take all necessary and appropriate measures

11 to ensure the physical safety of the United States

12 Ambassador and Embassy staff in Nigeria; and
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•HRES 260 IH

1 (4) calls for stronger sanctions by the United

2 States against the Nigerian dictatorship of Sani

3 Abacha in response to these egregious events.

Æ