[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 374 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 374

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
                      ongoing violence in Algeria.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 2, 1998

  Mr. Chabot (for himself and Mr. Hastings of Florida) submitted the 
     following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
                      ongoing violence in Algeria.

Whereas in January 1992 Algerian military forces annulled the second round of 
        parliamentary elections and forced the resignation of then-President 
        Chadli Benjedid;
Whereas the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), which favored the creation of an 
        Islamic state, was presumed to be the favored political party in those 
        parliamentary elections;
Whereas the suspension of the Algerian elections triggered an escalation of 
        terrorism;
Whereas the Islamic Salvation Army (AIS), the armed wing of FIS, started 
        terrorist activities in the wake of the annulled elections, but has 
        since declared a unilateral cease-fire;
Whereas the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), a nonpolitical radical Islamic movement, 
        has been responsible for carrying out the majority of recent terrorist 
        activities, particularly since the AIS cease-fire;
Whereas the United States Government has listed the GIA as a foreign terrorist 
        organization;
Whereas as many as 80,000 Algerians have lost their lives since the onset of the 
        violence in 1992, with 1,300 estimated to have lost their lives in the 
        holy month of Ramadan that ended in January 1998;
Whereas the violence perpetrated by terrorists has become increasingly barbaric, 
        leaving thousands of innocent civilians, particularly women and 
        children, dead or injured;
Whereas the Government of Algeria has resisted the establishment of an 
        international inquiry into the massacres;
Whereas the democratic process has progressed in Algeria despite the current 
        terrorist activity; and
Whereas the United States has a strong interest in seeing the development of a 
        democratic and peaceful Algeria: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) strongly condemns the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) and any 
        other terrorist groups responsible for the atrocities being 
        committed in Algeria;
            (2) condemns the perpetrators of violence and other crimes 
        against the fundamental human rights of Algerians;
            (3) urges those who continue to engage in violence and the 
        fundamental abuse of human rights to discontinue such activity;
            (4) calls on the Government of Algeria to take all 
        necessary and legal steps to prevent violence and stop it once 
        it occurs;
            (5) encourages the Government of Algeria to cooperate with 
        the international community to ensure transparency in the 
        investigation and combating of terrorist activity, including 
        the use of objective investigators into the massacres;
            (6) acknowledges that the Government of Algeria has made 
        progress toward democratization and urges the government to 
        engage in dialogue with all elements of Algerian society who 
        have renounced violence, in order to further democracy and 
        promote national reconciliation; and
            (7) urges the United States Government to continue to work 
        closely with the Government of Algeria to bring about the 
        development and implementation of political and economic 
        reforms as well as the full restoration of law and order in 
        Algeria.
                                 <all>