[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 76 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 76

  Urging the member nations of the United Nations Commission on Human 
        Rights to support a resolution on human rights in Cuba.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                March 4 (legislative day, March 3), 1993

 Mr. Burns (for Mr. Mack) (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Helms, Mr. 
 Graham, Mr. McCain, Mr. Dole, Mr. Lieberman, and Mr. Burns) submitted 
      the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Urging the member nations of the United Nations Commission on Human 
        Rights to support a resolution on human rights in Cuba.

Whereas the United States has an obligation to promote and protect human rights 
        and fundamental freedoms stated in the Charter of the United Nations and 
        elaborated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
Whereas the United States committed in the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, to 
        ``continue vigorously to oppose human rights violations in the Castro 
        regime'';
Whereas Resolution 61 (1992) of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights 
        provided for the appointment of a Special Rapporteur ``to review and 
        report on the situation of human rights in Cuba and to maintain direct 
        contact with the government and citizens of Cuba'';
Whereas the Cuban government refused to permit the Special Rapporteur to visit 
        Cuba and formally expressed its decision not to ``implement so much as a 
        single comma'' of Resolution 61;
Whereas, despite the obstructionist actions of the Cuban government, the Special 
        Rapporteur submitted a report describing the systematic abuse of human 
        rights and concluding that the Cuban government ``tends to resort to the 
        use of repressive means to silence any expression of discontent or 
        independent opinion, no matter how small'';
Whereas the Cuban government increased repression against leaders of several 
        human rights groups in Cuba on United Nations Human Rights Day, December 
        10, 1992;
Whereas on December 18, 1992, the United Nations General Assembly passed 
        Resolution 47/139 which ``regrets profoundly the numerous uncontested 
        reports of violations of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms'' 
        and expressed ``deep concern at arbitrary arrests, beatings, 
        imprisonment harassment, and governmentally organized mob attacks on 
        human rights defenders and others who are engaged in the peaceful 
        exercise of their rights''; and
Whereas the United States is cosponsoring a resolution on Cuba in the 1993 
        session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights which commends 
        and endorses the report of the Special Rapporteur, extends his mandate 
        for one year, and calls upon the Cuban government to carry out the 
        recommendations of the Special Rapporteur to ``bring the observance of 
        human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba up to universally 
        recognized standards ... and to end all violations of human rights, 
        including in particular the detention and imprisonment of human rights 
        defenders and others who are engaged in the peaceful exercise of their 
        rights'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the member 
nations of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights should 
cosponsor and vote for the resolution reappointing the Special 
Rapporteur on Cuba and calling on the Cuban government to abide by 
internationally recognized standards on human rights.
    Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this 
resolution to the President with the request that he further transmit 
such copy to the member nations of the United Nations Commission on 
Human Rights.

                                 <all>