[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 285 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 285

 Expressing the sense of the Senate that enforcement of the Cambodian 
   Genocide Justice Act, improvements in Cambodia's record on human 
rights, the environment, narcotics trafficking and the Royal Government 
  of Cambodia's conduct should be among the primary objectives of the 
             United States in its relations with Cambodia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 29, 1996

 Mr. Roth  (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, and Mr. Thomas) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

                           September 25, 1996

Reported by Mr. Helms, with an amendment, an amendment to the premable, 
                     and an amendment to the title
[Strike out the preamble and all after the resolving clause and insert 
                      the part printed in italic]

                           September 28, 1996

                   Considered, amended, and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate that enforcement of the Cambodian 
   Genocide Justice Act, improvements in Cambodia's record on human 
rights, the environment, narcotics trafficking and the Royal Government 
  of Cambodia's conduct should be among the primary objectives of the 
             United States in its relations with Cambodia.

Whereas the Paris Peace Accords in 1991 and the successful national election of 
        1993 brought two decades of civil war nearer to cessation, demonstrated 
        the commitment of the Cambodian people to democracy and stability, and 
        led to the creation of a national constitution guaranteeing fundamental 
        human rights;
Whereas since 1991 the international community has contributed almost 
        $2,000,000,000 to peacekeeping and national reconstruction in Cambodia 
        and currently provides over 40 percent of the budget of the Royal 
        Government of Cambodia (RGC);
Whereas recent events of Cambodia--including the arrest and exile of former 
        Foreign Minister Prince Sirivudh, the expulsion of former Finance 
        Minister Sam Rainsy from the FUNCINPEC Party and the National Assembly, 
        a grenade attack against members of the independent Buddhist Liberal 
        Democratic Party of Cambodia, mob attacks against pro-opposition 
        newspapers, the assassination of journalist and Khmer National Party 
        member Thun Bunly, and harassment of other journalists--suggest that 
        Cambodia is sliding back into a pattern of violence and repression;
Whereas the RGC has failed to investigate fully incidents of political violence 
        and prosecute the perpetrators;
Whereas, the RGC, without appropriate prior consultation with the Cambodian 
        Parliament and despite protestations from Cambodians residing both 
        inside the country and overseas, has obtained from King Sihanouk an 
        amnesty for Ieng Sary, the former deputy Prime Minister of the Khmer 
        Rouge and brother-in-law of Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot during the period 
        when the Khmer Rouge murdered as many as two million innocent 
        Cambodians;
Whereas that amnesty may allow Ieng Sary to fully reintegrate into Cambodian 
        society and from a political party that may participate in upcoming 
        elections;
Whereas, Ieng Sary has disavowed any responsibility for the genocide perpetrated 
        by the Khmer Rouge against the Cambodian people;
Whereas, the Cambodian Genocide Justice Act states that it is the policy of the 
        United States to support efforts to bring to justice members of the 
        Khmer Rouge for their crimes against humanity, and in circumstances 
        which the President deems appropriate, to encourage the establishment of 
        a national or international criminal tribunal for the prosecution of 
        those accused of genocide in Cambodia and to provide such national on 
        international tribunal with relevant information;
Whereas, rampant corruption in the RGC has emerged as a major cause of public 
        dissatisfaction, which--when expressed by politicians and the press--has 
        resulted in government crackdowns;
Whereas, Cambodia has been added to the Department of State's list of major 
        narcotics trafficking countries, though Cambodia has been certified by 
        the President as cooperating fully with the United States or taking 
        adequate steps on its own to achieve full compliance with the goals and 
        objectives established by the United Nations Convention Against Illicit 
        Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances;
Whereas, the RGC--in contravention to the Cambodian Constitution--has sanctioned 
        massive deforestation and timber exploitation which has devastated the 
        environment, endangered the livelihoods of many of the country's 
        farmers; and
Whereas, illegal logging has helped finance both the Royal Cambodian Armed 
        Forces and the Khmer Rouge in their civil war: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) among the primary objectives in United States policy 
        toward Cambodia should be enforcement of the Cambodian Genocide 
        Justice Act, improvements in Cambodia's human rights 
        conditions, environmental and narcotics trafficking record, and 
        the RGC's conduct;
            (2) in compliance with the Cambodian Genocide Justice Act, 
        the United States should support efforts to bring to justice 
        members of the Khmer Rouge for their crimes against humanity, 
        and that the President deem it appropriate to encourage the 
        establishment of a national or international criminal tribunal 
        for the prosecution of Ieng Sary and to provide that tribunal 
        with any information available on Ieng Sary's alleged 
        involvement in the Cambodian genocide;
            (3) the Secretary of State should closely monitor 
        preparations for upcoming Cambodian elections in 1997 and 1998 
        to ensure that those elections are held in a free and fair 
        manner in compliance with international standards, and toward 
        that end should attempt to secure the agreement of the RGC to 
        full and unhindered participation of international observers 
        for those elections;
            (4) the Secretary of State should support the continuation 
        of human rights monitoring in Cambodia by the United Nations, 
        including monitoring through the office of the United Nations 
        Center of Human Rights in Phnom Penh and monitoring by the 
        Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General 
        for Human Rights in Cambodia; and
            (5) the Secretary of State should encourage Cambodia's 
        other donors and trading partners to raise concerns with the 
        RGC over Cambodia's record on human rights, the environment, 
        narcotics trafficking and governmental conduct.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.