[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 215 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 215

 Congratulating the people of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana for 
                     holding multiparty elections.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 11, 1998

    Mr. Payne (for himself and Mr. Bishop) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Congratulating the people of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana for 
                     holding multiparty elections.

Whereas the people of Guyana voted on December 15, 1997, to re-elect the ruling 
        party, the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/Civic);
Whereas the Guyanese people showed their strong belief in the democratic process 
        by approximately an 88 percent voter turnout;
Whereas the main opposition party, the People's National Congress (PNC) has 
        alleged that the elections were not free and fair; and
Whereas although international observers such as the Organization of American 
        States (OAS), the Commonwealth, and the International Foundation of 
        Electoral Systems (IFES) have unanimously agreed, based on their 
        observations on election day, that the polling process was free and 
        fair, it has been alleged that violations occurred in the counting 
        process, necessitating an audit of the elections by the Caribbean 
        Community (CARICOM): Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) congratulates the people of Guyana for holding 
        multiparty presidential elections by proportional 
        representation;
            (2) supports the audit of the elections by the Caribbean 
        Community (CARICOM), an organization deemed acceptable to all 
        parties;
            (3) calls on all parties and opposition leaders to respect 
        the outcome of the audit as the final decision and make a vow 
        to peace and stability in Guyana; and
            (4) calls on the newly elected president of the Co-
        operative Republic of Guyana to respect the rule of law and 
        human rights.
                                 <all>