IV
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 115
Concerning the promotion of peace, stability, and democracy in Zaire.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 16, 1997
Mr. ROYCE (for himself, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr.
HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. HAMILTON, Mr.
BEREUTER, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. KIM, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr.
GEJDENSON, and Mr. BERMAN) submitted the following resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Concerning the promotion of peace, stability, and democracy
in Zaire.
Whereas Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko’s 31-year rule
has turned his potentially prosperous country into one of
the world’s poorest, where human suffering long has been
widespread;
Whereas the Mobutu Government has systematically violated
the human rights and undermined the security of Zaire’s
46,000,000 people;
Whereas the Mobutu Government has proven itself unwilling
to allow a genuine transition to multi-party democracy
and continues to cling to power against the best interests
of Zaire’s people;
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Whereas the Mobutu Government permitted the circulation of
extremist propaganda in the refugee camps that under-
mined voluntary repatriation efforts of the United Na-
tions High Commission on Refugees;
Whereas the international community is concerned about the
humanitarian needs of the hundreds of thousands of refu-
gees and displaced Zairians;
Whereas there are continuing reports of human rights viola-
tions by all parties that stem from the continued fighting
in Zaire;
Whereas representatives of the Zairian Government and the
Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of
Congo-Zaire (ADFL) negotiated in South Africa, under
the supervision of the United Nations and the Organiza-
tion of African Unity, with no cease-fire agreement; and
Whereas the objectives of the United States Government,
achieving the cessation of hostilities and achieving politi-
cal reforms in Zaire, continue to be stymied: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That—
(1) it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that—
(A) President Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire
should immediately resign from the office of the
Presidency of Zaire, leave Zaire, and withdraw
from all political activity;
(B) the United States Government should
unequivocally call on Mobutu Sese Seko to im-
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mediately leave Zaire and withdraw from all po-
litical activity;
(C) the United States should continue to
distance itself and its foreign policy from Presi-
dent Mobutu and his government in order to
hasten his departure from Zaire’s government
and political life;
(D) the United States should work with all
interested African and European nations to op-
pose the presence in Zaire of foreign govern-
ment and mercenary forces, halt the flow of
arms into the country, and encourage the war-
ring parties to negotiate a cease-fire leading to
a lasting peace; and
(E) the United States Government should
play a leading role in the international effort in
supporting the creation of a broad-based transi-
tional government of national unity composed of
all democratic forces in Zaire; and
(2) the House of Representatives supports the
creation in Zaire of the enabling environment nec-
essary to conduct democratic, multi-party elections
at the earliest feasible time, as well as the necessary
conditions to establish the rule of law, respect for
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human rights, and the effective provision of humani-
tarian assistance.
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