[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 47 (Tuesday, April 26, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  REGARDING THE CATASTROPHE IN RWANDA

  Mr. MITCHELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate proceed to the consideration of Senate Resolution 207, submitted 
earlier today by Senators Simon, Jeffords, Kassebaum, Kennedy, and 
others, regarding the catastrophe in Rwanda; that the resolution and 
preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid on the table, 
en bloc, and any statements thereon appear at the appropriate place in 
the Record as though read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the resolution (S. Res. 207) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble is as follows:

                              S. Res. 207

       Whereas on April 6, 1994, Presidents Juvenal Habyarimana of 
     Rwanda and Cyprien Ntaryamira of Burundi were killed when 
     their plane was shot down just outside Kigali, leading to an 
     eruption of violence in Rwanda;
       Whereas the systematic and indiscriminate massacre of 
     civilians, estimated in the tens of thousands, is a crime 
     against humanity;
       Whereas the violence currently being perpetrated by the 
     Rwandan government forces and their allied militias, as well 
     as the Rwandan Patriotic Front, against members of both the 
     Tutsi and Hutu ethnic groups is deplorable and violates all 
     standards of human rights;
       Whereas food shortages and lack of medical supplies in 
     Rwanda, and the evacuation of humanitarian relief workers, 
     has put millions of lives at risk;
       Whereas a peace accord signed in Arusha by the Habyarimana 
     government and the Rwandan Patriotic Front in August 1993 
     created the basis for formation of an integrated transitional 
     government in Rwanda;
       Whereas the United Nations Security Council voted in 
     October 1993 to deploy a force of 2,500 peacekeepers, the 
     United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) to 
     assist in implementation of the Arusha accords;
       Whereas tens of thousands of Rwandans have sought the 
     protection of UNAMIR forces and refuge from the continuing 
     violence;
       Whereas a number of contributing nations have withdrawn 
     their troop contingents from the UNAMIR operation and other 
     nations contributing forces may follow suit; and
       Whereas continued unrest and violence in Rwanda threatens 
     the stability of the entire Central African region: Now, 
     therefore, be it:
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) deplores the brutal and systematic massacre of 
     civilians and individuals sympathetic to the political 
     opposition in Rwanda by the Rwandan military and associated 
     groups, as well as the Rwandan Patriotic Front--
       (2) urges the United Nations and the Organization of 
     African Unity to continue efforts to gain agreement on a 
     credible cease-fire and to facilitate negotiations between 
     the parties to the conflict, based upon the Arusha accords;
       (3) calls on all parties, including the Rwandan army, 
     related militias particularly, Colonel Bagosora, Colonel 
     Augustin Bisimungu, Captain Pasqual Simbikangwa and Colonel 
     Mpiranya as well as the Rwandan Patriotic Front
       (A) to exercise restraint and control over their forces,
       (B) to accede to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire,
       (C) to respect such cease-fire and ensure the safety of 
     innocent civilians,
       (D) to guarantee free passage of humanitarian assistance to 
     all in need of such aid, and
       (E) to recommit themselves to the principles set forth in 
     the Arusha accords;
       (4) calls on the United Nations to consider carefully both 
     military and diplomatic options which are consistent with the 
     Arusha accords and will ensure the safety of innocent 
     civilians, assist in monitoring an eventual cease-fire or 
     peace agreement, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian 
     relief, and ensure the viability of these options;
       (5) commends President Clinton for his swift condemnation 
     of and response to this crisis, and applauds the efforts of 
     the United States Ambassador to Rwanda, David Rawson, in 
     ensuring the safe and swift evacuation of Americans from 
     Rwanda;
       (6) urges President Clinton to continue diplomatic efforts 
     at the highest levels to achieve prompt resolution of the 
     political and humanitarian crisis in Rwanda.
       Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy 
     of this resolution to the President.

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