[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 24 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 24

 Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the election of 
  Libya to the chairmanship of the 59th session of the United Nations 
           Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 29, 2003

   Mr. Burr submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the election of 
  Libya to the chairmanship of the 59th session of the United Nations 
           Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.

Whereas the annual meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights 
        (``Commission'') in Geneva, Switzerland, is considered the world's 
        premier forum for discussing human rights issues, condemning human 
        rights abuses, and promoting improved human rights;
Whereas the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (``Libya'') continues to 
        be subjected to the dictatorship of Colonel Mu'ammar Al-Qadhafi and 
        fails to permit its people the basic right of having a representative 
        government;
Whereas according to international human rights organizations, the Government of 
        Libya continues to commit widespread and well-documented human rights 
        abuses in Libya;
Whereas according to the Department of State, the human rights record of the 
        Government of Libya remains poor and the Government continues to commit 
        numerous serious abuses;
Whereas Libya refuses to observe the principles of freedom of belief, 
        expression, and association by repealing or amending laws and decrees 
        that restrict those freedoms in direct refutation of the principles of 
        the Commission and the United Nations Charter;
Whereas the Government of Libya continues to repress political and tribal groups 
        and minorities;
Whereas the Government of Libya has repressed expressions of protest or 
        criticism, used judicial power to suppress domestic opposition, 
        arbitrarily arrested and detained persons for years incommunicado and 
        without charge in deplorable conditions;
Whereas the Government of Libya, despite international condemnation, practices 
        torture and has been accused of slavery and trafficking in persons;
Whereas the Government of Libya has fomented political instability in 
        neighboring nations and other nations of sub-Saharan Africa resulting in 
        loss of life, displacement, and increased poverty;
Whereas the Government of Libya has an extensive history of supporting terrorism 
        and until 1999 was subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions 
        for refusing to surrender two Libyan suspects in the December 21, 1988, 
        bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 
        people, including 189 Americans;
Whereas the United Nations Security Council sanctions are currently suspended 
        and will be eliminated only when Libya meets the requirements set forth 
        in Security Council Resolutions 731, 748, 883, and 1192 demanding that 
        Libya provide appropriate compensation to the families of the victims, 
        accept responsibility for the actions of Libyan officials in the bombing 
        of Pan Am Flight 103, provide a full accounting of its involvement in 
        such bombing, and cease all support for terrorism; and
Whereas the Government of Libya refuses to fully comply with the requirements of 
        the United Nations Security Council under existing resolutions: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) strongly condemns the election of the Socialist 
        People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (``Libya'') to the chairmanship 
        of the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on Human 
        Rights on the basis that this action seriously undermines the 
        credibility of the Commission and, thereby, international 
        efforts to advance human rights; and
            (2) urges the United States Government to take the lead in 
        criticizing Libya's chairmanship and restricting criteria for 
        Commission membership to countries with a solid and proven 
        track record as defenders of human rights.
                                 <all>