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[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 260 Introduced in House (IH)]

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. Velazquez, 
   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.

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 intimidation, 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;
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
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) finds that the actions of the Nigerian security forces 
        on September 18, 1997, are the culmination of a campaign of 
        political intimidation and personal harassment against United 
        States Ambassador Carrington by the regime of dictator Sani 
        Abacha;
            (2) condemns the Abacha dictatorship in Nigeria for these 
        outrageous acts;
            (3) calls for the United States Department of State to take 
        all necessary and appropriate measures to ensure the physical 
        safety of the United States Ambassador and Embassy staff in 
        Nigeria; and
            (4) calls for stronger sanctions by the United States 
        against the Nigerian dictatorship of Sani Abacha in response to 
        these egregious events.
                                 <all>
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