H. Res. 345
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
March 26, 1996.
Whereas the Paris Peace Accords of 1991 and the successful
national elections of 1993 ended two decades of civil war
and genocide in Cambodia, demonstrated the commit-
ment of the Cambodian people to democracy and stabil-
ity, and established a national constitution guaranteeing
fundamental human rights;
Whereas since 1991 the international community has contrib-
uted more than $3,000,000,000 to peacekeeping and na-
tional reconstruction in Cambodia and currently provides
over 40 percent of the budget of the Cambodian Govern-
ment;
Whereas recent events in Cambodia, including the arrest and
exile of former Foreign Minister Prince Sirivudh, the ex-
pulsion of the former Finance Minister Sam Rainsy from
the government coalition FUNCINPEC Party and the
National Assembly, a grenade attack against the inde-
pendent Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party of Cam-
bodia, and mob attacks against pro-opposition news-
papers, suggest that Cambodia is sliding back into a pat-
tern of violence and repression;
Whereas rampant official corruption in the Cambodian Gov-
ernment has emerged as a major cause of public dis-
satisfaction, which in turn has resulted in the government
•HRES 345 EH
crackdown against these outspoken opposition politicians
and the press;
Whereas heroin traffic in and through Cambodia has become
so widespread that Cambodia has been added to the De-
partment of State’s list of major narcotics trafficking
countries;
Whereas the desire to cite Cambodia as a success story for
United Nations peacekeeping and international coopera-
tion has stifled the expression of concern about deterio-
rating human rights conditions in Cambodia; and
Whereas conditions in Cambodia have deteriorated since the
House of Representatives passed House Bill 1642 on
July 11, 1995, which grants Cambodia unconditional
most favored nation trading status: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) urges the Secretary of State to make
human rights concerns among the primary objectives
in bilateral relations with Cambodia;
(2) urges the Secretary of State to closely mon-
itor preparations for upcoming Cambodian elections
in 1997 and 1998 and attempt to secure the agree-
ment of the Cambodian Government to full and
unhindered participation of international observers
for these elections;
(3) urges the Secretary of State to support the
continuation of human rights monitoring in Cam-
bodia by the United Nations, including monitoring
through the office of the United Nations Center for
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Human Rights in Phnom Penh and monitoring by
the Special Representative of the United Nations
Secretary General for Human Rights in Cambodia;
(4) urges the Secretary of State to encourage
Cambodia’s other donors and trading partners to
raise human rights concerns with Cambodia;
(5) supports efforts by the United States to
provide assistance to Cambodia to broaden demo-
cratic civil society, to strengthen the rule of law and
to ensure that future elections in Cambodia are free
and fair; and
(6) urges that the United States raise human
rights concerns at the June 1996 meeting of the Do-
nor’s Consultative Meeting for Cambodia and during
consideration of projects in Cambodia to be financed
by international financial institutions.
Attest:
Clerk.