IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 554 
Urging the Government of the Gabonese Republic to hold orderly, peaceful, 
and free and fair presidential elections in November 2005. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 15, 2005 
Mr. PAYNE (for himself and Mr. WYNN) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 
RESOLUTION 
Urging the Government of the Gabonese Republic to hold 
orderly, peaceful, and free and fair presidential elections 
in November 2005. 
Whereas the Gabonese Republic is a heavily forested and oil- 
rich country on the west coast of Central Africa, which 
produces nearly 270,000 barrels of oil per day; 
Whereas Gabon gained independence from France in 1960, 
was subject to single-party rule until 1990, and has dem-
onstrated its support for the democratic process through 
the formation of numerous political parties since 1990 
and the strong participation of its people in prior elec-
tions; 
Whereas Gabon is scheduled to hold national elections in No-
vember 2005 for the purpose of electing a President;
•HRES 554 IH 
Whereas the Government of Gabon is a signatory to the 
‘‘Paris Accords’’ of 1994, approved by national ref-
erendum in July 1995, which provides for a state of law 
guaranteeing basic individual freedoms and the organiza-
tion of free and fair elections under an independent na-
tional election commission; 
Whereas Gabon has enjoyed a strong relationship with the 
United States, as demonstrated by Secretary of State 
Colin Powell’s historic visit to Gabon in September 2002, 
the President of Gabon’s visit to the White House in May 
2004, and cooperative business and trade relations be-
tween the two countries; 
Whereas the Department of State’s 2005 Country Reports on 
Human Rights Practices states with respect to Gabon 
that the last presidential election in 1998, the legislative 
elections in 2001, and the senatorial elections in 2003 
were marred with serious administrative problems and 
irregularities, including incomplete and inaccurate elec-
toral lists and the use of false documents to cast multiple 
votes; 
Whereas in July 2003, the Gabonese Constitution was 
amended to remove any references to presidential term 
limits; 
Whereas the President of Gabon has been the leader of that 
country since 1967 and is the longest serving leader on 
the continent of Africa; 
Whereas the judiciary of Gabon is widely viewed to be ineffi-
cient and subject to government influence; 
Whereas the President of the National Electoral Commission 
in Gabon issued a decree that permits the military to
•HRES 554 IH 
vote in their barracks on November 25 and the general 
population to vote on November 27, 2005; 
Whereas this decree potentially raises the possibility that, in 
the absence of proper safeguards, military personnel 
might vote more than once and that other voting irreg-
ularities might occur since military barracks are not gen-
erally open to public observation; 
Whereas the Gabonese Minister of Immigration threatened to 
invalidate the passports of members of opposition polit-
ical parties seeking to travel outside of Gabon in response 
to their alleged criticism of the President of Gabon over-
seas, which can only be viewed as a threat to the free-
doms of speech and of assembly; 
Whereas, according to press reports, in some locales, electoral 
lists have not been posted, and in others, voter registries 
may have been inflated; and 
Whereas it is in the interest of the United States to promote 
political and economic freedom in Africa and throughout 
the world: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes and commends the mediation ef-
forts of the Government of the Gabonese Republic in 
Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, 
Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), and 
Cote d’Ivoire; 
(2) recognizes and commends those Gabonese 
who have demonstrated their desire for free and fair 
elections;
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(3) believes it is critical that the November 
2005 presidential elections be conducted in a fair 
and transparent manner, and that the elections be 
viewed by the people of Gabon as such so that the 
winner of the election can claim a clear and legiti-
mate mandate to govern the country; 
(4) calls on the Government of Gabon and op-
position parties to continue their peaceful dialogue 
and to fairly and transparently resolve any elections- 
related disputes between them; 
(5) calls on the Gabonese Government— 
(A) to hold orderly, peaceful, free, and fair 
presidential elections in November 2005 in 
order to ensure the long-term growth and sta-
bility of Gabon; 
(B) to guarantee the full, free, and open 
participation of opposition parties in the up-
coming elections; and 
(C) to guarantee all Gabonese citizens the 
freedom of speech and the freedom of assembly; 
and 
(6) calls on the Government of the United 
States and the international community to continue 
to encourage and support the institutionalization of 
democratic processes and the establishment of condi-
•HRES 554 IH 
tions for good governance in Gabon and the sub-re-
gion. 
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