IV
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 358
Expressing support for the democratically elected Government of Columbia
and its efforts to counter threats from United States-designated foreign
terrorist organizations.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 6, 2002
Mr. HYDE (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr.
GOSS, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. KOLBE, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. GIL-
MAN, Mrs. TAUSCHER, and Mr. MORAN of Virginia) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International
Relations
MARCH 6, 2002
Committee on International Relations discharged; considered under suspension
of the rules and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the democratically elected Govern-
ment of Columbia and its efforts to counter threats
from United States-designated foreign terrorist organiza-
tions.
Whereas the democratically elected Government of Colombia,
led by President Andres Pastrana, is the legitimate au-
thority in the oldest representative democracy in South
America;
Whereas the Secretary of State, in consultation with the At-
torney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, is re-
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quired to designate as foreign terrorist organizations
those groups whose activities threaten the security of
United States nationals or the national security interests
of the United States pursuant to section 219 of the Im-
migration and Nationality Act;
Whereas the Secretary of State has designated three Colom-
bian terrorist groups as foreign terrorist organizations,
including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC), the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
(AUC), and the National Liberation Army (ELN);
Whereas all three United States-designated foreign terrorist
organizations regularly engage in criminal acts, including
murder, kidnapping, and extortion perpetrated against
Colombian civilians, government officials, security forces,
and against foreign nationals, including United States
citizens;
Whereas the FARC is holding five Colombian legislators, a
presidential candidate, and Colombian police and army
officers and soldiers as hostages and has recently esca-
lated bombings against civilian targets, including a foiled
attempt to destroy the city of Bogota’s principal water
reservoir;
Whereas, according to the Colombian Government, the FARC
has received training in terrorist techniques and tech-
nology from foreign nationals;
Whereas, since 1992, United States-designated foreign ter-
rorist organizations in Colombia have committed serious
crimes against United States citizens, kidnapping more
than 50 Americans and murdering at least ten Ameri-
cans;
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Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration believes that
members of the FARC and the AUC directly engage in
narcotics trafficking;
Whereas individual members of Colombia’s security forces
have collaborated with illegal paramilitary organizations
by, inter alia, in some instances allowing such organiza-
tions to pass through roadblocks, sharing tactical infor-
mation with such organizations, and providing such orga-
nizations with supplies and ammunition;
Whereas while the Colombian Government has made progress
in its efforts to combat and capture members of illegal
paramilitary organizations and taken positive steps to
break links between individual members of the security
forces and such organizations, further steps by the Co-
lombian Government are warranted;
Whereas in 1998 Colombian President Andres Pastrana
began exhaustive efforts to negotiate a peace agreement
with the FARC and implemented extraordinary con-
fidence-building measures to advance these negotiations,
including establishing a 16,000-square-mile safe haven
for the FARC;
Whereas the Government of Colombia has also undertaken
substantial efforts to negotiate a peace agreement with
the ELN;
Whereas the United States has consistently supported the
Government of Colombia’s protracted efforts to negotiate
a peace agreement with the FARC and supports the Gov-
ernment of Colombia in its continuing efforts to reach a
negotiated agreement with the ELN;
Whereas the United States would welcome a negotiated, polit-
ical solution to end the violence in Colombia;
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Whereas, after the FARC hijacked a commercial airplane and
took Colombian Senator Jorge Eduardo Gechem Turbay
as a hostage into the government-created safe haven,
President Pastrana ended his government’s sponsorship
of the peace negotiations with the FARC and ordered Co-
lombia’s security forces to re-establish legitimate govern-
mental control in the safe haven;
Whereas President Pastrana has received strong expressions
of support from foreign governments and international
organizations for his decision to end the peace talks and
dissolve the FARC’s safe haven; and
Whereas the Government of Colombia’s negotiations with the
ELN are continuing despite the end of the negotiations
with the FARC: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That—
(1) the House of Representatives—
(A) expresses its support for the democrat-
ically elected Government of Colombia and the
Colombian people as they strive to protect their
democracy from terrorism and the scourge of il-
licit narcotics; and
(B) deplores the continuing criminal ter-
rorist acts of murder, abduction, and extortion
carried out by all United States-designated for-
eign terrorist organizations in Colombia against
United States citizens, the civilian population of
Colombia, and Colombian authorities; and
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(2) it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that the President, without undue delay, should
transmit to Congress for its consideration proposed
legislation, consistent with United States law regard-
ing the protection of human rights, to assist the
Government of Colombia protect its democracy from
United States-designated foreign terrorist organiza-
tions and the scourge of illicit narcotics; and
(3) it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that the Secretary of State should designate a
high-ranking official to coordinate all United States
assistance to the Government of Colombia to ensure
clarity of United States policy and the effective de-
livery of United States support.
Æ