IV
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 75
To support the peace process in Angola.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 25, 1993
Mr. JOHNSTON of Florida (for himself, Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey, Mr. GEJD-
ENSON, Mr. EDWARDS of California, and Ms. MCKINNEY) submitted the
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
To support the peace process in Angola.
Whereas on May 31, 1991, the Government of the Republic
of Angola, under the control of the Popular Movement
for the Liberation of Angola (hereinafter in this resolu-
tion referred to as ‘‘the MPLA’’), and the National
Union for the Total Independence of Angola (hereinafter
in this resolution referred to as ‘‘UNITA’’) signed the
Bicesse Peace Accords, pledging both parties to full de-
mobilization, the formation of a new national army, and
multiparty democratic elections;
Whereas the United States has agreed to recognize the Ango-
lan Government based on certified democratic elections
and commitment in word and deed to the Bicesse Peace
Accords;
•HCON 75 IH
Whereas such elections were held on September 29 and 30,
1992, with 4,500,000 Angolans voting;
Whereas these elections were certified by the United Nations
and determined by an estimated 800 international ob-
servers to be generally free and fair and without signifi-
cant irregularities or systematic fraud;
Whereas the MPLA candidate for President, Jose Eduardo
dos Santos, received 49.6 percent of the total vote and
the UNITA candidate, Jonas Savimbi, received 40.1 per-
cent;
Whereas neither the MPLA, UNITA, nor any other major
political party in Angola contested the results of the leg-
islative elections, in which the MPLA won a clear victory;
Whereas the UNITA leadership immediately called into ques-
tion the results of the Presidential election, withdrew its
forces from the newly unified army, and subsequently re-
treated to its stronghold to launch a military offensive;
Whereas life in Angola has been dramatically disrupted by
the consequences of 350,000 casualties from 16 years of
civil war, an estimated 20,000 additional deaths from the
renewed conflict, more than 1,000,000 people displaced,
and 3,000,000 people threatened by hunger, disease, and
land mines;
Whereas the Angolan Government has continued to work with
the United Nations to resurrect a negotiated settlement
through talks in Addis Ababa, while UNITA has called
for the removal of United Nations personnel from Angola
refused to participate in additional attempts to negotiate,
and threatened to carry out violence against United
States companies operating throughout Angola;
•HCON 75 IH
Whereas the United Nations Security Council has adopted a
resolution expressing grave concerns about the outbreak
of fighting in Angola, urging both sides to begin peace
talks, and strongly condemning UNITA’s persistent viola-
tions of the Bicesse Peace Accords;
Whereas over the years the United States Government played
a significant role in Angola, providing extensive support
for UNITA during the war and facilitating the negotia-
tions that led to the Bicesse Peace Accords;
Whereas the Clinton Administration has the opportunity to
establish a new policy with respect to Angola and utilize
diplomatic resources to seek a peaceful resolution to the
ongoing conflict in Angola; and
Whereas an appropriate and strategic United States response
to the crisis in Angola will set an important precedent for
United States action in newly emerging democracies else-
where in Africa: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),
SECTION 1. DECLARATIONS BY THE CONGRESS.
The Congress—
(1) deplores human rights violations committed
by the MPLA-controlled government forces and
UNITA;
(2) condemns UNITA’s refusal to negotiate, its
attempts to expand the war, including into areas
where foreign companies operate, and its apparent
•HCON 75 IH
effort to disregard the democratic process and to in-
stead win a military victory in Angola; and
(3) urges both parties to the conflict in Angola
to act swiftly to negotiate an immediate cease-fire
and move effectively to set a timetable for full imple-
mentation of the Bicesse Peace Accords, including
an agreement on a date for the demobilization of
military forces.
SEC. 2. ACTIONS THE UNITED STATES SHOULD TAKE.
The Congress calls upon the President to—
(1) accord diplomatic recognition of the Govern-
ment of Angola;
(2) appoint a Special Envoy to be sent to An-
gola to underscore United States interest in a politi-
cal settlement and to assist both sides in the nego-
tiation of a cease-fire;
(3) immediately urge the United Nations’ Sec-
retary General to take whatever steps may be nec-
essary to facilitate a cease-fire and build an accept-
able climate for a Presidential run-off in Angola, in-
cluding increasing the United Nations’ presence on
the ground to expedite a cease-fire and provide sup-
port for demobilization and for other aspects of im-
plementing the Bicesse Peace Accords;
•HCON 75 IH
(4) take immediate steps in the international
community, including sanctions or other necessary
actions, to pressure any nation or any party to the
conflict determined to be obstructing the evolution of
peace in Angola; and
(5) consider dispatching a team to Angola to
assess the humanitarian crisis and make rec-
ommendations for a United States response to the
crisis.
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