[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 128 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 128

   Expressing the sense of Congress regarding measures to achieve a 
 peaceful resolution of the conflict in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

              October 9 (legislative day, October 2), 1998

   Mr. Leahy (for himself, Mr. Dodd, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. 
    Murray, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Harkin, Mr. 
  Bumpers, Mr. Wellstone, Mr. Jeffords, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. 
Wyden, and Ms. Mikulski) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of Congress regarding measures to achieve a 
 peaceful resolution of the conflict in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, 
                        and for other purposes.

Whereas the United States and Mexico have a long history of close relations and 
        share many economic and security interests;
Whereas a democratic and prosperous Mexico is in the interest of the United 
        States;
Whereas the United States is providing assistance and licensing exports of 
        military equipment to Mexican security forces for counter-narcotics 
        purposes;
Whereas the Department of State has documented human rights violations by 
        Mexican security forces and paramilitary groups;
Whereas the conflict in Chiapas, Mexico has resulted in the deaths and 
        disappearance of innocent civilians;
Whereas the lack of progress in implementing a preliminary peace agreement 
        signed in 1996 and the presence of tens of thousands of Mexican 
        soldiers, as well as paramilitary and other groups, have contributed to 
        increased political tension and violence in Chiapas and the absence of 
        basic human rights protections;
Whereas the persistence of political tension and violence has exacerbated the 
        impoverished conditions of indigenous people in Chiapas;
Whereas thousands of indigenous people in Chiapas have fled their homes as a 
        result of the violence and are living in deplorable conditions;
Whereas despite President Zedillo's calls for negotiations and repeated visits 
        to Chiapas, efforts to negotiate a peaceful resolution of the conflict 
        have been unsuccessful and the National Mediation Commission was 
        dissolved after the resignation of its President, Bishop Samuel Ruiz, 
        due to the lack of progress in the peace process; and
Whereas the summary expulsions of United States citizens and human rights 
        monitors from Mexico raise concerns about the commitment of the 
        government of Mexico to freedom of movement, association and expression: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should--
            (1) take effective measures to ensure that United States 
        assistance and exports of equipment to Mexican security 
        forces--
                    (A) are used primarily for counter-narcotics 
                purposes; and
                    (B) do not contribute to human rights violations;
            (2) encourage the Government of Mexico to reduce political 
        tension and violence in Chiapas by disarming paramilitary 
        groups and decreasing its military presence there;
            (3) commend the Government of Mexico for inviting the 
        United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit 
        Mexico to discuss the Chiapas conflict;
            (4) encourage the Government of Mexico and the Zapatista 
        National Liberation Army to take steps to create conditions for 
        good faith negotiations that address the social, economic and 
        political causes of the conflict to achieve a peaceful and 
        lasting resolution of the conflict, and to vigorously pursue 
        such negotiations;
            (5) support efforts to provide relief assistance to 
        displaced persons in Chiapas and adequate monitoring of such 
        assistance; and
            (6) seeks a commitment from the Government of Mexico to 
        respect the rights of United States citizens and human rights 
        monitors in Mexico in accordance with Mexican law and 
        international law.
                                 <all>