IV

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 361

Calling for free and impartial elections in Cambodia.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 12, 1998

Mr. BEREUTER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Calling for free and impartial elections in Cambodia.

Whereas Cambodia continues to recover from years of political conflict, civil war, the era of Khmer Rouge genocide,

and subsequent foreign invasion;

Whereas the 1991 Paris Peace Accords contributed significantly to a process of political accommodation, national

conciliation, and the establishment of a state based on

democratic ideals;

Whereas the people of Cambodia overwhelmingly demonstrated their support for the democratic process

through the participation of over 93 percent of eligible

voters in the United Nations-sponsored 1993 elections;

Whereas the commitment of the Cambodian people to democracy and stability is reflected in the national constitution

guaranteeing fundamental human rights;
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Whereas the international donor community has supported

the democratic process in Cambodia by contributing over

$3,000,000,000 to peacekeeping and national reconstruction efforts;

Whereas notwithstanding the notable societal and economic

reforms made subsequent to the 1993 elections, tensions

within the Cambodian Government continued to mount,

culminating in the July 5, 1997, military coup by which

Second Prime Minister Hun Sen deposed the duly elected

First Prime Minister Prince Ranariddh;

Whereas the Hun Sen government has yet to adequately investigate the killings and human rights abuses which occurred at the time of the July 5, 1997, and which were

detailed in the August 21, 1997, Hammarberg report;

Whereas Second Prime Minister Hun Sen made a commitment to the United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights (UNCHR) to extend the mandate of

UNCHR;

Whereas an ongoing atmosphere of intimidation has prevented many of the political exiles who have returned to

Cambodia from carrying out their activities in preparation for the election scheduled for July 26 without fear;

Whereas questions remain concerning the independence and

impartiality of the newly created National Election Commission;

Whereas the inability of First Prime Minister Prince

Ranariddh, whose party won the 1993 election, to return

to Cambodia without fear of a trial creates an unnecessary obstacle to his political participation and calls into

serious question the possibility of a credible election; and
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Whereas the European Union has unwisely decided to provide

$11,500,000 in aid to the Hun Sen regime to prepare for

the July election in the absence of conditions that would

allow a credible election: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) calls upon the Cambodian Government—

3 (A) to fully implement the Paris Peace Ac4 cords;

5 (B) to enforce the rule of law and fully

6 protect human rights, including a thorough in7 vestigation of the extrajudicial killings and

8 human rights abuses which occurred following

9 the July 5, 1997, coup and punishment of those

10 involved;

11 (C) to restore a nonviolent and neutral po12 litical atmosphere, including participation in ne13 gotiations to lead to an immediate cease-fire;

14 (D) to allow all exiled opposition leaders,

15 including First Premier Ranariddh, to return to

16 Cambodia and to engage in political activity

17 without fear of political or physical reprisal;

18 and

19 (E) to take further measures to create

20 mechanisms to help ensure a credible election,

21 including a truly independent and impartial

22 election commission and provisions to allow do-
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1 mestic and international observers to monitor

2 the entire election process;

3 (2) calls upon the European Union to recon4 sider its decision to provide assistance to the election

5 process until such time as genuinely free and fair

6 elections can be conducted;

7 (3) urges the Secretary of State to continue to

8 provide support through appropriate nongovern9 mental organizations to the courageous Cambodian

10 human rights workers who persevere in their dif11 ficulty task, despite the considerable risk at which

12 they put themselves; and

13 (4) calls upon the Secretary of State to work

14 with members of the Association of Southeast Asian

15 Nations and with members of the Donors Group in

16 urging the Cambodian Government to create the

17 conditions which would guarantee a free and fair

18 election.

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