[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 40 Referred in House (RFH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 40


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 25, 1997

          Referred to the Committee on International Relations

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the OAS-CIAV Mission in 
                               Nicaragua.

Whereas the International Support and Verification Commission of the 
        Organization of American States (in this resolution referred to as the 
        ``OAS-CIAV'') was established in the August 7, 1989, Tela Accords by the 
        presidents of the Central American countries and by the Secretaries 
        General of the United Nations and the Organization of American States 
        for the purpose of ending the Nicaraguan war and reintegrating members 
        of the Nicaraguan Resistance into civil society;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV, originally comprised of 53 unarmed Latin Americans, 
        successfully demobilized 22,500 members of the Nicaraguan Resistance and 
        distributed food and humanitarian assistance to more than 119,000 
        repatriated Nicaraguans prior to July 1991;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV provided seeds, starter plants, and fertilizer to more than 
        17,000 families of demobilized combatants;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV assisted former Nicaraguan Resistance members in the 
        construction of nearly 3,000 homes for impoverished families, 45 
        schools, 50 health clinics, and 25 community multi-purpose centers, as 
        well as the development of microenterprises;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV assisted rural communities with the reparation of roads, 
        development of potable water sources, veterinary and preventative 
        medical training, raising basic crops, cattle ranching, and 
        reforestation;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV, together with the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), 
        trained local paramedics to staff 22 health posts in the Atlantic and 
        Pacific regions of Nicaragua and provided medical supplies to treat 
        mothers, young children, and cholera patients, among others, in a five-
        month program that benefited nearly 50,000 Nicaraguans;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV, with 15 members under a new mandate effective June 9, 
        1993, has investigated and documented more than 1,800 human rights 
        violations, including 653 murders and has presented these cases to 
        Nicaraguan authorities, following and advocating justice in each case;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV has demobilized 20,745 rearmed contras and Sandinistas, as 
        well as apolitical criminal groups, and recently brokered and mediated 
        the successful May 1997 negotiations between the Government of Nicaragua 
        and the largest rearmed group;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV has resolved hostage crises successfully, including the 
        1993 abductions of UNO party Congressmen, the Vice President and the 
        French military attache, and the 1996 kidnappings of an Agency for 
        International Development contractor and 28 Supreme Electoral Council 
        employees;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV created 86 peace commissions and has provided assistance 
        and extensive training in human rights and alternative dispute 
        resolution for their members, who are currently mediating conflicts, 
        including kidnappings and demobilization of rearmed groups, in every 
        municipality of the zones of conflict;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV assistance and training by the OAS-CIAV of rural 
        Nicaraguans has led to a decrease in violence in the zones of conflict 
        since 1994, in some areas as much as 85 percent;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV has assisted children wounded by land mines;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV has provided assistance to disabled war veterans and widows 
        of combatants;
Whereas the OAS-CIAV provided and distributed 44,010 birth certificates to rural 
        Nicaraguans in early 1996, allowing them to participate in the 1996 
        presidential and parliamentary elections; and
Whereas the OAS-CIAV provided transportation to and communication with remote 
        areas or areas of conflict, assuring a secure climate for voter 
        registration and the elections: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That the Senate--
            (1) commends and congratulates Santiago Murray and Sergio 
        Caramagna, the first and current directors, respectively, of 
        the OAS-CIAV and all members of the OAS-CIAV team for their 
        tireless defense of human rights, promotion of peaceful 
        conflict resolution, and contribution to the development of 
        freedom and democracy in Nicaragua; and
            (2) expresses its support for the continuation of the role 
        of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Nicaragua 
        described in the resolution passed by the OAS General Assembly 
        in Lima, Peru, on June 4, 1997.
    Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this 
concurrent resolution to the President with the request that he further 
transmit such resolution to the Secretary General of the Organization 
of American States.

            Passed the Senate July 23, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                    GARY SISCO,

                                                             Secretary.