[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 167 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 167

 Expressing the sense of the Senate concerning the Iraqi Government's 
           campaign against the marsh Arabs of southern Iraq.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

            November 17 (legislative day, November 2), 1993

    Mr. Moynihan (for himself and Mr. Pell) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate 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 for 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 Gulf War the world community did not stop Saddam Hussein 
        from employing similar tactics against the Kurds: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the United States Government should immediately--
            (a) raise the issue of Saddam Hussein's campaign against 
        the marsh Arabs in the Security Council;
            (b) insist that United Nations weapons inspectors be 
        permitted to conduct on site inspections concerning the 
        possible use by Iraqi troops of chemical weapons;
            (c) seek to provide humanitarian assistance to persons 
        fleeing from the marshes; and
            (d) study and report to the Congress concerning the 
        environmental consequences of the destruction of this vast 
        wetlands area.

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