[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S.J. Res. 3 Referred in House (RFH)]

  1st Session
S. J. RES. 3


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 5, 2003

          Referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to human rights in 
                             Central Asia.

Whereas the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, 
        Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are providing the United States with 
        assistance in the war in Afghanistan, from military basing and 
        overflight rights to the facilitation of humanitarian relief;
Whereas in turn the United States victory over the Taliban in Afghanistan 
        provides important benefits to the Central Asian nations by removing a 
        regime that threatened their security and by significantly weakening the 
        Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a terrorist organization that had 
        previously staged armed raids from Afghanistan into the region;
Whereas the United States has consistently urged the nations of Central Asia to 
        open their political systems and economies and to respect human rights, 
        both before and since the attacks of September 11, 2001;
Whereas Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are 
        members of the United Nations and the Organization for Security and 
        Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), both of which confer a range of 
        obligations with respect to human rights on their members;
Whereas while the United States recognizes marked differences among the social 
        structures and commitments to democratic and economic reform of the 
        Central Asian nations, the United States notes nevertheless, according 
        to the State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, that 
        all five governments of such nations, to differing degrees, restrict 
        freedom of speech and association, restrict or ban the activities of 
        human rights organizations and other non-governmental organizations, 
        harass or prohibit independent media, imprison political opponents, 
        practice arbitrary detention and arrest, and engage in torture and 
        extrajudical executions;
Whereas by continuing to suppress human rights and to deny citizens peaceful, 
        democratic means of expressing their convictions, the nations of Central 
        Asia risk fueling popular support for violent and extremist movements, 
        thus undermining the goals of the war on terrorism;
Whereas President George W. Bush has made the defense of human dignity, the rule 
        of law, limits on the power of the state, respect for women and private 
        property, free speech, equal justice, religious tolerance strategic 
        goals of United States foreign policy in the Islamic world, arguing that 
        ``a truly strong nation will permit legal avenues of dissent for all 
        groups that pursue their aspirations without violence''; and
Whereas Congress has expressed its desire to see deeper reform in Central Asia 
        in past resolutions and other legislation, most recently conditioning 
        assistance to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan on their progress in meeting 
        commitments to the United States on human rights and democracy: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That it is the sense of 
Congress that--
            (1) the governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, 
        Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan should accelerate democratic 
        reforms and fulfill their human rights obligations, including, 
        where appropriate, by--
                    (A) releasing from prison anyone jailed for 
                peaceful political activism or the nonviolent 
                expression of their political or religious beliefs;
                    (B) fully investigating any credible allegations of 
                torture and prosecuting those responsible;
                    (C) permitting the free and unfettered functioning 
                of independent media outlets, independent political 
                parties, and nongovernmental organizations, including 
                by easing registration processes;
                    (D) permitting the free exercise of religious 
                beliefs and ceasing the persecution of members of 
                religious groups and denominations that do not engage 
                in violence or political change through violence;
                    (E) holding free, competitive, and fair elections; 
                and
                    (F) making publicly available documentation of 
                their revenues and punishing those engaged in official 
                corruption;
            (2) the President, the Secretary of State, and the 
        Secretary of Defense should--
                    (A) continue to raise at the highest levels with 
                the governments of the nations of Central Asia specific 
                cases of political and religious persecution, and to 
                urge greater respect for human rights and democratic 
                freedoms at every diplomatic opportunity;
                    (B) take progress in meeting the goals specified in 
                paragraph (1) into account when determining the scope 
                and nature of our diplomatic and military relations and 
                assistance with each of such governments;
                    (C) ensure that the provisions of foreign 
                operations appropriations Acts are fully implemented to 
                ensure that no United States assistance benefits 
                security forces in Central Asia that are implicated in 
                violations of human rights;
                    (D) press the Government of Turkmenistan to 
                implement the helpful recommendations contained in the 
                so-called ``Moscow Mechanism'' Report of the 
                Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
                (OSCE) respect the right of all prisoners to due 
                process and a fair trial and release democratic 
                activists and their family members from prison;
                    (E) urge the Government of Russia not to extradite 
                to Turkmenistan members of the political opposition of 
                Turkmenistan;
                    (F) work with the Government of Kazakhstan to 
                create a political climate free of intimidation and 
                harassment, including releasing political prisoners and 
                permitting the return of political exiles, and to 
                reduce official corruption, including by urging the 
                Government of Kazakhstan to cooperate with the ongoing 
                Department of Justice investigation;
                    (G) support through United States assistance 
                programs individuals, nongovernmental organizations, 
                and media outlets in Central Asia working to build more 
                open societies, to support the victims of human rights 
                abuses, and to expose official corruption; and
                    (H) press the Government of Uzbekistan to implement 
                fully the recommendations made to the Government of 
                Uzbekistan by the United Nation's Special Rapporteur on 
                Torture; and
            (3) increased levels of United States assistance to the 
        governments of the nations of Central Asia made possible by 
        their cooperation in the war in Afghanistan can be sustained 
        only if there is substantial and continuing progress towards 
        meeting the goals specified in paragraph (1).

            Passed the Senate May 1, 2003.

            Attest:

                                             EMILY J. REYNOLDS,

                                                             Secretary.