IV
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 399
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the
promotion of democracy and civil society in Zaire.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 29, 1996
Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. CHABOT, Mrs. CLAYTON, Mr.
CONYERS, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr. OWENS, and Mr. WYNN)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with
respect to the promotion of democracy and civil society
in Zaire.
Whereas the people of the United States support the develop-
ment of democratic institutions and the growth of civil
society in Zaire that reflect the will of the people of
Zaire;
Whereas the people of the United States applaud the efforts
of Zairian civil society, and particularly of indigenous
human rights groups, to promote the general welfare of
Zaire’s citizens, to advocate the establishment of func-
tioning democratic institutions and the rule of law, and
to ensure and respect universal human rights standards;
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Whereas the people of the United States respect the right of
Zairians, as recognized by the Constitutional Act of the
Transition, to participate in a free and open political
process, which includes the right to form competing polit-
ical parties and to participate in free and fair elections;
Whereas antidemocratic and destabilizing measures of Presi-
dent Mobutu Sese Seko, including the intimidation of
local organizations and political parties promoting democ-
racy and the protection of fundamental human rights, the
encouragement of torture, arbitrary arrest, extrajudicial
killing, and extortion by the security forces under his
control, and the guarantee that his supporters may act
with impunity, have contributed to the obstruction of the
transition to democracy in Zaire;
Whereas President Mobutu has, in violation of the Constitu-
tional Act of the Transition, used his de facto control
over the security forces and Zaire’s governmental and fi-
nancial institutions to undermine Zaire’s transition to de-
mocracy;
Whereas this continuing intimidation of local civil society or-
ganizations and opposition political parties, widespread
violation of fundamental rights, and guarantee of impu-
nity for violators have been deplored by numerous human
rights organizations in Zaire, the United Nations Com-
mission on Human Rights, and the United States Gov-
ernment;
Whereas President Mobutu, having repeatedly failed to honor
promises and commitments he has made to cooperate
with international efforts to stabilize the refugee crisis in
Eastern Zaire, has again, in the Declaration of the Cairo
Conference of November 29, 1995, and the Tripartite
meeting of Zaire, Rwanda, and the United Nations High
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Commission for Refugees that was held on December 22,
1995, made similar and to date unfulfilled promises;
Whereas the United States has recognized by Presidential
Proclamation that President Mobutu is the primary ob-
stacle to the transition to democracy in Zaire; and
Whereas House Concurrent Resolution 238, unanimously
passed by the 102d Congress, calling on President
Mobutu to step down, was not heeded: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) expresses its profound support for Zairian
nongovernmental organizations seeking to promote
the protection of fundamental human rights and the
transition to democracy in Zaire;
(2) encourages all political parties in Zaire to
include representatives of civil society in every stage
of the electoral process;
(3) condemns the continuing intimidation of
those groups by military authorities in Zaire;
(4) condemns the continuing practice of torture,
arbitrary arrest, extrajudicial execution, and extor-
tion by elements of the Zairian armed forces;
(5) condemns the human rights violations and
the intimidation of local civil society groups by the
Zairian armed forces, with President Mobutu’s im-
plicit approval;
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(6) urges that President Clinton continue in-
definitely the sanctions already imposed upon Zaire,
including—
(A) the denial of visas to President
Mobutu, his family, and his associates; and
(B) the suspension of all forms of eco-
nomic assistance to Zaire, except for that which
can be offered through nongovernmental organi-
zations in direct circumvention of President
Mobutu and the Zairian Government;
(7) urges that the United States work through
the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on
Zaire and pressure the Government of Zaire to allow
the Special Rapporteur to open an office in
Kinshasa and to facilitate this process;
(8) urges the President of the United States to
pressure President Mobutu to respect his commit-
ments—
(A) to prevent the use of Zairian territory
for military incursions into Rwanda or for mili-
tary or militia training; and
(B) to halt the flow of arms to Hutu ex-
tremists living in Eastern Zaire;