IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 24
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives congratulating President
Pastrana and the people of Colombia for moving the peace process
forward and calling on the government and all other parties to the
current conflict in Colombia to end the guerrilla and paramilitary violence
which continues to pose a serious threat to democracy as well as economic
and social stability in Colombia.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 19, 1999
Mr. GALLEGLY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives con-
gratulating President Pastrana and the people of Colom-
bia for moving the peace process forward and calling
on the government and all other parties to the current
conflict in Colombia to end the guerrilla and paramilitary
violence which continues to pose a serious threat to de-
mocracy as well as economic and social stability in Co-
lombia.
Whereas on June 21, 1998, close to eleven million Colom-
bians went to the polls in a clear affirmation of the
democratic process and cast their vote not only for a new
President to lead that nation into the next century but
•HRES 24 IH
for a mandate for peace and for the government to re-
solve the conflict;
Whereas an estimated 70,000 people have died as a direct re-
sult of the internal fighting over the last decade which
has resulted in the deaths associated with the guerrilla
and paramilitary violence as being the leading cause of
death in Colombia;
Whereas the guerrilla and paramilitary violence has created
more than 300,000 refugees over the last three years and
an estimated total of over 1,000,000 Colombians dis-
placed by the violence over the past decade;
Whereas the operations of the Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army
(ELN) and the various paramilitary units have become
increasingly dependent on and interconnected with the il-
licit narcotics trade; and
Whereas the continued insurgency of the guerrillas and the
extreme violence of the paramilitaries ultimately poses a
major threat to the very democracy of Colombia and sta-
bility of the region: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) congratulates the people of Colombia for
their continued demonstration of support for the
democratic process as well as for an end to the in-
ternal conflict plaguing that nation;
(2) congratulates President Andres Pastrana
for his strong commitment to seek an end to the
guerrilla and paramilitary violence in Colombia and
for his initiatives to begin a peace process;
•HRES 24 IH
(3) urges the guerrilla leaders of the FARC and
the ELN, and the leaders of the paramilitary
groups, to end the violence, sever their relationships
with the narcotics trade, and negotiate a peace ac-
cord with the Government of Colombia which would
provide lasting peace, a reaffirmation of the demo-
cratic principles of government, economic and social
justice for all Colombians, and an end to the cultiva-
tion, production, and trade of narcotics;
(4) calls upon the international community to
play a more proactive role in trying to resolve the in-
ternal conflict by encouraging all sides to participate
in the peace process; and
(5) reaffirms the support of the United States
for the peace process in Colombia, commits the
United States to assist the Government of Colombia
in finding a peaceful resolution to the internal con-
flict, and to continue United States assistance to
help strengthen political stability, foster economic
growth and combat the drug trade within Colombia,
taking into account the threat the guerrilla move-
ment and the drug trade poses to the democracy of
Colombia.
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