[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1230 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1230

Condemning postelection violence in Zimbabwe and calling for a peaceful 
              resolution to the current political crisis.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 2008

   Mr. Payne (for himself, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. Rangel, Ms. Lee, Ms. 
Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Jefferson, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. 
 Davis of Illinois, Mr. Rush, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. 
Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Watt, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Clay, Mr. 
 Conyers, Mr. Towns, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Ms. Norton, Ms. Waters, Mr. 
Clyburn, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Wynn, Mr. 
 Fattah, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Cummings, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. 
    Meeks of New York, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Ms. Watson, Mr. Davis of 
 Alabama, Mr. Meek of Florida, Mr. Scott of Georgia, Mr. Butterfield, 
   Mr. Cleaver, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Clarke, Mr. Ellison, Mr. 
  Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Richardson, Mr. Carson, and Mr. Al Green of 
 Texas) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Condemning postelection violence in Zimbabwe and calling for a peaceful 
              resolution to the current political crisis.

Whereas the Zimbabwean African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), led by 
        President Robert Mugabe, has controlled Zimbabwe's executive and 
        legislative branches for 28 years;
Whereas over the past 8 years, ZANU-PF has suppressed political dissidents and 
        won elections and referendums through the use of vote rigging, localized 
        violence, harassment, and intimidation;
Whereas the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe has been worsening 
        since 2000, culminating in the current electoral crisis;
Whereas Presidential and Parliamentary elections were held in Zimbabwe on March 
        29, 2008;
Whereas the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) released the results for the 2008 
        presidential election 5 weeks after the contest took place, announcing 
        President Mugabe won 43.2 percent of the vote, while Morgan Tsvangirai 
        of the opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), won 47.8 
        percent of the vote;
Whereas as the ZEC announced neither candidate won over 50 percent of the vote, 
        the 2 candidates have to compete in a runoff election;
Whereas the long delay in announcing the presidential election results 
        undermined the credibility of the ZEC;
Whereas the Zimbabwean people have indicated through the ballot box that they 
        want a change in leadership;
Whereas in the wake of the elections, President Mugabe has unleashed security 
        forces and militia against opposition supporters and members of civil 
        society;
Whereas over 900 people have been tortured and beaten, and 22 have been 
        confirmed dead;
Whereas government security forces raided the MDC party headquarters, arresting 
        300 people, some of them children;
Whereas the offices of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network have been raided 
        and some of its employees detained;
Whereas security forces have attacked humanitarian organizations and civil 
        society groups;
Whereas the African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) 
        have been continually engaged in efforts to bring about an end to the 
        political crisis in Zimbabwe;
Whereas the AU and SADC dispatched delegations to Harare, but have not yet 
        successfully compelled the Government of Zimbabwe to restore the rule of 
        law;
Whereas Zimbabwe's gross domestic product declined about 43 percent between 2000 
        and 2007 and the unemployment rate is 80 percent;
Whereas Zimbabwe's inflation rate, at almost 165,000 percent, is the highest in 
        the world and has contributed significantly to the country's economic 
        collapse;
Whereas worsening economic conditions and commodity shortages have caused at 
        least 3,000,000 people to flee the country;
Whereas after the March 29, 2008, elections the opposition offered to enter into 
        a dialogue to bring about an end to the ensuing political crisis;
Whereas all parties must engage constructively towards peace and reconciliation 
        for the sake of the Zimbabwean people; and
Whereas the people of Zimbabwe deserve the assistance of the international 
        community in the restoration of fundamental human rights, democratic 
        freedom, and the rule of law: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls on all security forces, informal militias, and 
        individuals to immediately cease attacks on and abuse of 
        civilians;
            (2) strongly condemns the orchestrated campaign of 
        violence, torture, and harassment conducted by the ruling party 
        and its supporters and sympathizers in the police and military 
        against members of the opposition, opposition parties, and all 
        other civilians;
            (3) supports an international arms embargo until the 
        current political situation has been resolved;
            (4) encourages the government and opposition to begin a 
        dialogue aimed at establishing a government of national unity 
        which would allow for the restoration of democratic governance 
        structures, and create an environment conducive to a peaceful 
        transition of power through free and fair elections;
            (5) advocates for a mechanism such as a truth and 
        reconciliation commission through which to ensure 
        accountability for all groups and individuals who are found to 
        have orchestrated or committed human rights violations in the 
        context of the elections;
            (6) urges the United Nations, with the cooperation and 
        support of the African Union (AU) and Southern African 
        Development Community (SADC) to dispatch a special envoy to 
        Zimbabwe without delay, with a mandate to monitor the runoff 
        elections and the human rights situation, and to support 
        efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the political crisis;
            (7) urges the international community, under the leadership 
        of the United Nations, AU, SADC, and the SADC Parliamentary 
        Forum, to deploy teams of credible persons to serve as monitors 
        to ensure that the outcome of the presidential runoff elections 
        reflects the will of the Zimbabwean people;
            (8) commends the people of Zimbabwe for their continued 
        courage in the face of systematic persecution, intimidation, 
        and abuse, and commits to providing continued humanitarian 
        assistance until the economic crisis is resolved;
            (9) commends the recent actions taken by regional trade 
        unions, churches, activists, and civil society organizations in 
        support of democracy and respect for basic human rights and the 
        rule of law in Zimbabwe, and encourages these entities to 
        maintain their activities; and
            (10) stands in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe.
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