[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 461 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 461

  Calling for the immediate and unconditional release from prison of 
certain Kurdish members of the Parliament of the Republic of Turkey and 
for the prompt recognition by the Government of the Republic of Turkey 
of full cultural and language rights for the Kurdish people within its 
                                borders.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 5, 2000

   Mr. Filner (for himself, Mr. Porter, Mr. Pallone, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. 
Bonior, Mr. Wolf, and Mr. Smith of New Jersey) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Calling for the immediate and unconditional release from prison of 
certain Kurdish members of the Parliament of the Republic of Turkey and 
for the prompt recognition by the Government of the Republic of Turkey 
of full cultural and language rights for the Kurdish people within its 
                                borders.

Whereas the friendship between the peoples of the United States and the Republic 
        of Turkey is based on a mutual respect and a shared commitment to 
        democracy, human rights, and the rule of law;
Whereas Turkey is now a candidate for membership in the European Union, a 
        community of nations likewise based on shared values of democracy and 
        human rights;
Whereas full inclusion of the 20,000,000 Kurds living within Turkish borders in 
        an open and multiethnic society will promote both the strengthening of 
        democracy and the stability of the region as a whole;
Whereas four former parliamentarians from the now banned Kurdish-based Democracy 
        Party (DEP), Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan, and Selim Sadak, 
        remain imprisoned at Ankara's Ulucanlar Prison and among the actions 
        cited in Zana's indictment was her 1993 appearance before the Helsinki 
        Commission in Washington, D.C.;
Whereas 153 Members of the United States Congress in 1997 signed a letter to 
        President Clinton calling for Leyla Zana's immediate and unconditional 
        release ``so that we may again welcome her to our shores''; and
Whereas, at the recent Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust held on 
        January 26-28, 2000, the Turkish delegation expressed its commitment to 
        ``the promotion of the concepts of tolerance and respect for cultural 
        diversity'', and the Congress warmly endorses this approach to the 
        building of democracy and ethnic pluralism in Turkey as within our own 
        great Nation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives declares that--
            (1) the immediate and unconditional release from prison in 
        the Republic of Turkey of the parliamentarians Leyla Zana, 
        Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan, and Selim Sadak is a vital step in 
        upholding due process in Turkey and facilitating Turkey's 
        integration into the European Union; and
            (2) the prompt recognition by the Government of the 
        Republic of Turkey of full cultural and language rights for the 
        Kurdish people within its borders, including the right of 
        education and broadcasting in Kurdish, is a vital step in 
        promoting tolerance and cultural diversity in a manner 
        consistent with Turkey's commitment as a participating state of 
        the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
                                 <all>