[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 46 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 46


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 27, 1999

    Received and referred to the Committee on the Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Urging an end of the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia and calling on 
   the United Nations Human Rights Commission and other human rights 
organizations to investigate human rights abuses in connection with the 
                    Eritrean and Ethiopian conflict.

Whereas peace and stability existed between Eritrea and Ethiopia following the 
        1991 ouster of the Mengistu dictatorship and the independence of Eritrea 
        in 1993;
Whereas on May 6, 1998, a military confrontation erupted between Eritrea and 
        Ethiopia, resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians and the 
        reported forced detention or deportation of over 60,000 people;
Whereas hundreds of thousands of Eritreans and Ethiopians have been displaced 
        from their homes as a result of this conflict;
Whereas the governments of the United States and Rwanda, the Organization of 
        African Unity (OAU), as well as countries in the region, immediately put 
        forth proposals for resolving the conflict;
Whereas on September 9, 1998, Congress passed H. Con. Res. 292 commending 
        efforts by the United States facilitation team to resolve the crisis, 
        including its success in brokering a moratorium on air raids, and 
        calling on Eritrea and Ethiopia to end the conflict peacefully before it 
        escalated into a full-scale war;
Whereas on December 17, 1998, the Central Organ Summit of the OAU approved a 
        Framework Agreement in furtherance of its efforts to mediate the dispute 
        between the two parties and provide an avenue for peace;
Whereas on January 29, 1999, the United Nations Security Council adopted 
        Resolution 1226 expressing its strong support for the OAU Framework 
        Agreement, and calling on both parties to work for a reduction in 
        tensions by adopting policies leading to the restoration of confidence 
        between the governments and peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia, including 
        urgent measures to improve the humanitarian situation and respect for 
        human rights;
Whereas the Government of the United States, the OAU, and countries in the 
        region have been engaged in an intensive effort to identify a peaceful 
        solution to the conflict;
Whereas on February 6, 1999, while sustained diplomatic efforts by the 
        international community were ongoing, the moratorium on air strikes was 
        violated and war once again erupted between Eritrea and Ethiopia;
Whereas on February 10, 1999, the United Nations Security Council passed 
        Resolution 1227 condemning the use of force by Eritrea and Ethiopia, 
        stressing that the OAU Framework Agreement remains a viable and sound 
        basis for peaceful resolution of the conflict, and calling once again on 
        both countries to ensure the safety of the civilian population and 
        respect for human rights and international humanitarian law;
Whereas the governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia have enjoyed warm relations with 
        the United States and have stated their commitment to a peaceful 
        resolution of the conflict based on the OAU Framework Agreement; and
Whereas the peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia have suffered for decades due to war 
        and manmade famines and do not deserve once again to suffer due to armed 
        conflict, which could destabilize the entire subregion of Africa: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) deplores the escalation of the conflict between Eritrea 
        and Ethiopia which has resulted in the massive and senseless 
        loss of life, as well as substantial economic hardship to the 
        peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia;
            (2) strongly urges both Eritrea and Ethiopia immediately to 
        bring an end to the violence between the two countries;
            (3) commends the efforts of the Organization of African 
        Unity (OAU) and former United States National Security Adviser 
        Anthony Lake to mediate peace between Eritrea and Ethiopia;
            (4) strongly affirms United States support for the OAU 
        Framework Agreement; and
            (5) calls on the United Nations Human Rights Commission and 
        all human rights organizations to investigate human rights 
        abuses in connection with the forced detentions, deportations, 
        and displacements of populations caused by this conflict.

            Passed the House of Representatives October 26, 1999.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.