[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 277 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.Con. Res.277
                                      Agreed to October 21, 1998        

                       One Hundred Fifth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twenty-seventh day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-
                                  eight


                          Concurrent Resolution

Whereas Mark Rich, David Mankins, and Rick Tenenoff of the Sanford, 
  Florida, based New Tribes Mission were abducted on January 31, 1993, 
  from the Kuna Indian village of Pucuro in the Darien Province of 
  Panama;

Whereas the wives and children of these American citizens, Tania Rich 
  (daughters--Tamra and Jessica), Nancy Mankins (son--Chad, daughter--
  Sarah), and Patti Tenenoff (son--Richard Lee III, daughters--Dora and 
  Connie), have lived the past 5 years without knowledge of the safety 
  of these three men;

Whereas Mark Rich, David Mankins, and Rick Tenenoff presently are 
  believed to be the longest held United States hostages;

Whereas this kidnapping represents a gross violation of the three 
  missionaries' human rights and is not an isolated incident in 
  Colombia where, since 1980, 83 innocent Americans have been held 
  hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the 
  National Liberation Army (ELN);

Whereas the FARC and the ELN guerrilla groups in Colombia have both 
  been designated terrorist organizations by the Department of State;

Whereas Colombia is engaged in a high-level conflict with these 
  guerrilla insurgency groups, a number of whom are protectorates of 
  the deadly drug trade;

Whereas the FARC has recently threatened officials of the United States 
  Government and kidnapped additional United States citizens in 
  Colombia;

Whereas the region of Colombia where the three American missionaries 
  are believed to be held is controlled not by the Colombian 
  Government, but rather by the FARC;

Whereas on December 9, 1997, the President of Colombia stated on an 
  internationally televised episode of Larry King Live that the FARC 
  ``in some ways have admitted indirectly that they have the 
  missionaries'';

Whereas Human Rights Watch has stated that ``The FARC has an obligation 
  to unconditionally free the three missionaries, with all necessary 
  guarantees'' and Amnesty International has declared their ``request 
  that the FARC respect international humanitarian norms, guarantee the 
  life and physical safety of the missionaries and unconditionally free 
  them and all other hostages'';

Whereas congressional inquiries regarding the three missionaries have 
  been made to United States Government entities, including, the White 
  House, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the 
  Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation;

Whereas congressional inquiries regarding the three missionaries have 
  been made to Amnesty International, Pax Christi, His Holiness the 
  Pope John Paul II, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, 
  which has provided assurances that their Colombian delegation ``is 
  still actively working in favor of the missing members of the New 
  Tribes Mission'';

Whereas 58 Members of Congress and Senators signed letters to eight 
  different heads of state, including Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, 
  Spain, Venezuela, Guatemala, Colombia, and Portugal, in attendance at 
  the Iberian-American Conference in Venezuela in November of 1997, 
  requesting any and all assistance in order to bring about a favorable 
  outcome to this unfortunate event;

Whereas no official confirmation of life or death has been made by any 
  United States Government entity, nongovernmental organization, 
  foreign government, or religious institution;

Whereas the distinction between a ``terrorist activity'' and a 
  ``criminal activity'' perpetrated on an American citizen traveling 
  abroad should not be a limiting factor in terms of United States 
  governmental investigation; and

Whereas every consideration to safety and prudence regarding action by 
  the United States Government, foreign governments, nongovernmental 
  organizations, international institutions, and other groups in this 
  matter should be of the highest priority: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That--
        (1) the President of the United States and his emissaries 
    should raise the kidnapping of Mark Rich, David Mankins, and Rick 
    Tenenoff of the New Tribes Mission and other American victims in 
    Colombia to all relevant foreign governments, nongovernmental 
    organizations, and religious institutions at every opportunity 
    until a favorable outcome is achieved;
        (2) the international community should encourage any and all 
    groups believed to have information on this case to come forward to 
    help the families of the kidnapped missionaries;
        (3) all appropriate information obtained by the United States 
    Government, foreign governments, international institutions, 
    nongovernmental organizations, and religious institutions should be 
    turned over in a timely basis to the New Tribes Mission crisis 
    response team;
        (4) a copy of this resolution shall be transmitted to the 
    President, the Secretary of State, the National Security Advisor, 
    the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the Federal Bureau of 
    Investigation, the Director of Central Intelligence, the President 
    of the Republic of Costa Rica, the President of the United Mexican 
    States, the President of the Republic of Panama, the King of Spain, 
    the President of the Republic of Venezuela, the President of the 
    Republic of Guatemala, the President of the Republic of Colombia, 
    the President of the Republic of Portugal, and His Holiness Pope 
    John Paul II; and
        (5) a copy of this resolution shall be transmitted to the New 
    Tribes Mission, Amnesty International, Pax Christi, and the 
    International Committee of the Red Cross.
  Attest:

                                 Clerk of the House of Representatives.

  Attest:

                                               Secretary of the Senate.