[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 535 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 535

Expressing the concern and support of the House of Representatives for 
  local elected officials under threat of assassination, kidnapping, 
 forcible displacement, and coercion by terrorist organizations in the 
                         Republic of Colombia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 25, 2004

  Mr. Weller (for himself, Mr. Ballenger, Ms. Harris, and Mr. Souder) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                       on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the concern and support of the House of Representatives for 
  local elected officials under threat of assassination, kidnapping, 
 forcible displacement, and coercion by terrorist organizations in the 
                         Republic of Colombia.

Whereas attacks on the Government of the Republic of Colombia and civilian 
        population of Colombia by terrorist organizations, including the 
        Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the United Self-Defense 
        Forces of Colombia (AUC), and the National Liberation Army (ELN), pose a 
        constant threat to the oldest democracy in South America and undermine 
        the fundamental human rights of the people of Colombia;
Whereas threats by terrorist organizations against democratically-elected local 
        and regional representatives, such as mayors, council members, 
        governors, and judges, hinders and, in many cases prevents, these 
        representatives from carrying out their required duties;
Whereas the National Federation of Council Members of Colombia, a civil society 
        organization representing elected municipal council officials in 
        Colombia, reports that 252 municipal council members were assassinated 
        by the FARC, ELN, AUC, and other terrorist organizations between July 
        1996 and September 2003;
Whereas the National Federation of Council Members of Colombia has established a 
        Department of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in order 
        to help protect council members from assassinations and attacks by 
        terrorist organizations;
Whereas there has recently been an alarming increase in the number of such 
        assassinations and attacks, increasing from an average of 21.5 during 
        the years 1996-2001 to 64 in 2002, and 59 during the first nine months 
        of 2003;
Whereas in addition to the 59 council members killed through September 2003, 
        1180 council members were forcibly displaced by terrorist organizations;
Whereas during the process leading to local elections in October 2003, 15 
        aspiring council members were killed and at least 135 aspiring council 
        members were forced to end their campaigns because of the threats of 
        assassination, principally from the FARC; and
Whereas as the direct representatives of local constituencies, elected municipal 
        councils are a vital institution of democracy in Colombia: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns all terrorist organizations in the Republic of 
        Colombia for their efforts to undermine and remove local 
        government officials such as mayors, judges, and municipal 
        council members, through assassination, kidnapping, coercion, 
        or forcible displacement from their communities;
            (2) expresses its strong support for democratically-elected 
        municipal council members in Colombia in their efforts to 
        continue governing in the face of continuing and increasing 
        threats by terrorist organizations;
            (3) calls upon the Government of Colombia to continue its 
        campaign to restore legitimate governance throughout the entire 
        country; and
            (4) commends the efforts by the National Federation of 
        Council Members of Colombia to provide support for local 
        elected officials in their struggle against lawlessness and 
        terror.
                                 <all>