IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 238
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding a peaceful resolution of the
conflict in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 18, 1999
Ms. PELOSI (for herself, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr. PORTER, Mr. LANTOS, Mr.
DEFAZIO, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. HOLT,
Mr. DELAHUNT, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. KAP-
TUR, Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. STARK, Mr. MOAKLEY, Ms. STABENOW, Mr.
MALONEY of Connecticut, Mr. KIND, Mr. FROST, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. LA-
FALCE, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms.
WATERS, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. CUMMINGS,
Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. SANDERS, and Mr. OLVER) submitted the following
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Inter-
national Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding a peaceful reso-
lution of the conflict in the state of Chiapas, Mexico,
and for other purposes.
Whereas the United States and Mexico have a long history
of close relations and share a wide range of interests;
Whereas a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous Mexico is of
vital importance to the security of the United States;
•HCON 238 IH
Whereas the United States Government provides assistance
and licenses exports of military equipment to Mexican se-
curity forces for counter-narcotics purposes;
Whereas the Department of State’s 1998 Country Report on
Human Rights Practices in Mexico stated that a ‘‘culture
of impunity pervades the security forces’’ and docu-
mented human rights violations, including arbitrary de-
tention, torture, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings
by these forces;
Whereas confrontations in August 1999 between members of
the Mexican military and supporters of the Zapatista Na-
tional Liberation Army (EZLN) in Chiapas, Mexico, are
representative of the political tension and violence that
have plagued the region for years;
Whereas the conflict has its roots in the poverty and injustice
suffered by the indigenous people of Chiapas and shared
by the poor in the neighboring states of Oaxaca and
Guerrero;
Whereas the lack of progress in implementing a preliminary
peace agreement signed in 1996 and the intimidating
level of militarization by the Mexican army, paramilitary
groups, and the EZLN have resulted in the forced dis-
placement of thousands of indigenous people and exacer-
bated the impoverished conditions in Chiapas;
Whereas on September 14, 1999, the Commission for Peace
and Reconciliation in Chiapas of the Conference of Mexi-
can Catholic Bishops urged the Government of Mexico to
consider relocating military forces in Chiapas to only
those positions absolutely necessary for maintaining the
integrity and security of Mexico;
•HCON 238 IH
Whereas the Government of Mexico has devoted resources to
reduce poverty in Chiapas, but the breakdown in peace
negotiations and the lack of trust between the Mexican
Government and some indigenous communities have lim-
ited the impact of that assistance;
Whereas on September 7, 1999, the Government of Mexico
pledged to renew dialogue with the EZLN, support the
formation of a new mediation team, and investigate
human rights abuses in Chiapas;
Whereas the EZLN has not yet accepted the Government of
Mexico’s overtures to resume negotiations; and
Whereas the summary expulsions of United States citizens
and human rights monitors from Mexico are inconsistent
with the freedoms of movement, association, and expres-
sion: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the Sec-
retary of State should—
(1) take effective measures to ensure that
United States assistance and exports of equipment
to Mexican security forces—
(A) are used primarily for counter-nar-
cotics purposes; and
(B) are not provided to units of security
forces that have been implicated in human
rights violations, unless the Government of
Mexico is taking effective measures to bring the
individuals responsible to justice;
•HCON 238 IH
(2) encourage the Zapatista National Libera-
tion Army (EZLN) and the Government of Mexico
to take steps to create conditions for good faith ne-
gotiations that address the social, economic and po-
litical causes of the conflict in Chiapas, to achieve a
peaceful and lasting resolution of the conflict, and to
vigorously pursue such negotiations;
(3) commend the Government of Mexico for its
renewed commitment to negotiations and for estab-
lishing a date for the United Nations High Commis-
sioner for Human Rights to visit Mexico to discuss
human rights concerns there;
(4) give a higher priority in discussions with the
Government of Mexico to criminal justice reforms
that protect human rights, emphasizing United
States concerns about arbitrary detention, torture,
disappearances, and extrajudicial killings, and the
failure to prosecute individuals responsible for these
crimes; and
(5) urge the Government of Mexico to imple-
ment the recommendations of the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights, particularly with re-
gard to United States citizens and others who have
•HCON 238 IH
been summarily expelled from Mexico in violation of
Mexican law and international law.
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