IV
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 217
Concerning human and political rights of the Bosniac people of the Sanjak
region of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro).
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 24, 1996
Mr. MORAN (for himself, Mr. PORTER, Mr. LANTOS, Ms. MOLINARI, and Mr.
ENGEL) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Concerning human and political rights of the Bosniac people
of the Sanjak region of the Federal Republic of Yugo-
slavia (Serbia/Montenegro).
Whereas the situation in the Sanjak region of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro) could not be
addressed in the Dayton Peace Accords leaving the
Bosniac people, who are the Muslim population in the re-
gion, subject to continuing harassment and repression;
Whereas major international human rights organizations, the
United States Department of State, the United Nations,
and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) have documented extensive human rights
abuses perpetrated against the Bosniac people of the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro);
•HCON 217 IH
Whereas an April 1993 report by the Commission on Security
and Cooperation in Europe referred to the situation in
the Sanjak region as ‘‘an example of how a relatively con-
tent, ethnically mixed society can be torn apart by its
proximity to war, both geographically and socially’’;
Whereas the United States pursues a policy known as the
‘‘outer wall of sanctions’’ intended to urge the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro) to make
progress on successor state issues;
Whereas the ‘‘outer wall of sanctions’’ policy specifically ad-
dresses concerns about Kosova, but does not address the
equally destabilizing situation in the Sanjak region;
Whereas over 17,000 Bosniac people have been subjected to
harsh military-police treatment and physically terrorized;
Whereas the Bosniac people have been expelled in large num-
bers from their jobs with state-owned companies, produc-
ing widespread economic and humanitarian hardship; and
Whereas large numbers of Bosniac people have been forced
to migrate out of fear for their lives, and have witnessed
the destruction of their homes, possessions and institu-
tions: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) the United States should continue its lead-
ership role within the international community in
seeking a solution to the problems of the ethnic
groups of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Ser-
bia/Montenegro), without which there cannot be per-
manent peace in the Balkans;
•HCON 217 IH
(2) the United States should continue to main-
tain its opposition to the lifting of the ‘‘outer wall
of sanctions’’ against the Federal Republic of Yugo-
slavia (Serbia/Montenegro) until the situation of the
Bosniac people of the Sanjak region, along with that
of other ethnic groups of the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro), is substantially im-
proved;
(3) the United States should raise the issue of
human rights violations in the Sanjak region with
the 
Federal 
Republic 
of 
Yugoslavia 
(Serbia/
Montenegro) at every opportunity and press for full
respect for the human rights and fundamental free-
doms of the people of the Sanjak region in keeping
with international law;
(4) the government of the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro) should restore polit-
ical freedom in the Sanjak region, end persecution of
political leaders, and guarantee the safe return of
those Bosniac people forced to leave the region; and
(5) the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia/
Montenegro) should permit the return of a perma-
nent mission of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe to the Sanjak region to mon-
itor and report on developments in the region, in-
•HCON 217 IH
cluding human rights and economic development,
and to help establish the necessary conditions for ob-
serving elections.
Æ