[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 859 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 859

 Expressing strong support for lasting peace, democracy, and economic 
                          recovery in Somalia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 22, 2009

Mr. Payne submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing strong support for lasting peace, democracy, and economic 
                          recovery in Somalia.

Whereas following the collapse of central authority in Mogadishu, the capital of 
        Somalia, rival Somali groups have engaged in armed struggle, committed 
        serious atrocities against innocent civilians, and obstructed the 
        delivery of humanitarian assistance;
Whereas more than 500,000 people died from violence, starvation, disease, and 
        many more have been displaced from their homes over the past decade;
Whereas in October 2002, the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) 
        launched a peace process designed to end factional fighting in Somalia, 
        led by the Government of Kenya and in September 2003, the parties agreed 
        on a Transitional National Charter (TNC);
Whereas in June 2006, the forces of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) took control 
        of Mogadishu;
Whereas during the 6-month rule by the ICU, Mogadishu became relatively 
        peaceful, but efforts to bring peace did not lead to sustained progress;
Whereas on December 28, 2006, Ethiopian troops captured Mogadishu with little 
        resistance from the ICU;
Whereas the Ethiopian intervention led to more chaos and instability in Somalia;
Whereas humanitarian, political, and security conditions deteriorated across 
        south-central Somalia;
Whereas in the past 3 years, more than 22,000 civilians have been killed, an 
        estimated 1,100,000 people displaced, and 476,000 Somalis have fled to 
        neighboring countries;
Whereas in November 2008, the Ethiopian Government announced that its forces 
        would pull out of Somalia by the end of 2008 and in January 2009, 
        Ethiopian forces completed their withdrawal from Somalia;
Whereas in June 2008, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Alliance 
        for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS), a group dominated by members of 
        the ICU, signed an agreement in Djibouti mediated by United Nations 
        Special Envoy Ahmedou Ould-Abdullah;
Whereas the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), made up of peacekeeping 
        troops from Uganda and Burundi, has done and continues to do remarkable 
        work to secure a just peace in Somalia;
Whereas, on September 17, 2009, the terrorist group Al-Shabaab carried out a 
        suicide attack against AMISOM forces in Mogadishu, injuring and killing 
        over 35 peacekeepers, including the Deputy Force Commander of AMISOM;
Whereas in September 2009, United States Armed Forces killed Saleh Ali Saleh 
        Nabhan, an al-Qaeda terrorist responsible for the suicide bombing in 
        Mombasa in 2002 and a suspect in the bombings of the United States 
        embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and several other foreign terrorists in 
        Mogadishu;
Whereas in January 2009, the Somali Parliament elected the leader of the ARS, 
        Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad as President;
Whereas in February 2009, President Ahmad appointed Omar Abdirashid Ali 
        Sharmarke as Prime Minister;
Whereas civilians, humanitarian workers, journalists, and human rights advocates 
        have been the primary targets of the insurgent groups;
Whereas a number of Somali journalists covering the crisis in Somalia have been 
        assassinated by insurgents, while dozens of humanitarian and human 
        rights advocates have been killed or injured;
Whereas the terrorist group Al-Shabaab continues its terror campaign, with the 
        support of al-Qaeda and other foreign jihadists; and
Whereas the TFG continues to fight these terrorist and extremist groups and is 
        committed to establishing a terror-free and democratic Somalia: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses strong support for the Transitional Federal 
        Government (TGF);
            (2) commends the dedicated humanitarian and human rights 
        workers and the sacrifices they continue to make to help the 
        people of Somalia;
            (3) recognizes the valuable work and sacrifice of the 
        African Union Peacekeeping Mission;
            (4) recognizes and commends the mediation efforts of the 
        Government of Djibouti and the United Nations Special Envoy 
        Ahmedou Ould-Abdullah;
            (5) calls on the Obama Administration to provide assistance 
        in education, health care, infrastructure, and security sectors 
        to Somalia;
            (6) strongly urges the Obama Administration to support 
        civil society, human rights groups, and the independent media 
        to lay the foundation for a democratic and peaceful Somalia;
            (7) strongly recommends that the Obama Administration 
        appoint an ambassador and commence work on opening up a United 
        States Embassy, once security conditions improve;
            (8) urges the Obama Administration to recognize the TFG and 
        allow the opening of an official Somali Embassy in Washington, 
        DC;
            (9) calls on the Government of Somaliland to respect the 
        rule of law and hold free and fair elections without further 
        delay; and
            (10) recommends that the governments of Puntland and 
        Somaliland work together with the TFG to contain the threats 
        posed by terrorist and extremist groups and work toward a 
        mutually acceptable political arrangement.
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