[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 583 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 583

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the 
 Iraqi Government's campaign against the Marsh Arabs of Southern Iraq.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 7, 1994

 Mr. Cox submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the 
 Iraqi Government's campaign against the Marsh Arabs of Southern Iraq.

Whereas the government of Saddam Hussein has a long and well documented history 
        of brutal repression of the population of Iraq;
Whereas Saddam Hussein carried out a methodical campaign of genocide against 
        Iraqi Kurds, including extensive efforts to render large areas of Iraqi 
        Kurdistan uninhabitable and the use of poison gas in violation of 
        international law;
Whereas Saddam Hussein is now conducting a massive campaign of repression 
        against the population of Shi'ite Arabs in southern Iraq known as the 
        Marsh Arabs or the Maadan;
Whereas this campaign includes an enormous effort to drain the wetlands at the 
        confluence of the Tigris and the Euphrates which have sustained the 
        distinct Marsh Arab civilization for thousands of years;
Whereas, in addition to draining the wetlands, Iraqi troops have extensively 
        shelled villages in the marshes;
Whereas the campaign against the Marsh Arabs appears to constitute an effort to 
        drive the entire civilian population out of the marshes and to destroy 
        the way of life of a distinct community within Iraq;
Whereas there are recent reports that Iraqi troops have employed chemical 
        weapons against the Marsh Arabs in violation of international law and 
        United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning Iraq; and
Whereas prior to the Persian Gulf War the world community did not stop Saddam 
        Hussein from employing similar tactics against the Kurds: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the United States Government should immediately--
            (1) raise the issue of Saddam Hussein's campaign of 
        repression against the Marsh Arabs of southern Iraq in the 
        United Nations Security Council;
            (2) insist that United Nations weapons inspectors be 
        permitted to conduct onsite inspections concerning the possible 
        use by Iraqi troops of chemical weapons against the Marsh Arabs 
        of southern Iraq;
            (3) seek to provide humanitarian assistance to persons 
        fleeing from the marshes of southern Iraq; and
            (4) study and report to the Congress concerning--
                    (A) the establishment for the Marsh Arabs of a 
                safe-haven zone in the marshes of southern Iraq; and
                    (B) the environmental consequences of the 
                destruction of this vast wetlands area.
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