[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 5, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S5236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SENATE RESOLUTION 103--RELATIVE TO IRAN

  Mr. D'AMATO submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                               S.Res. 105

       Whereas, an estimated crowd of 100,000 Iranian people 
     assembled in Southern Teheran on April 4, 1995 to protest 
     sharp price increases and a shortage of water, and other 
     important staples of daily life;
       Whereas, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the Bassidj, a 
     political militia, have been granted the right to ``shoot-to-
     kill'' in order to quell disturbances;
       Whereas, these force, supplemented by armed helicopter 
     gunships, on April 14, 1995, opened fire on the demonstrators 
     killing as many as 150 people, thereby ending the protest: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the Sense of the Senate that the 
     President should--
       Immediately condemn this brutal suppression of a crowd of 
     protesters resulting in the death of as many as 150 people by 
     the Government of Iran and instruct the United States 
     Ambassador to the United Nations to bring this matter before 
     the United Nations Security Council with the intent of 
     pursuing a Security Council condemnation of Iran.

 Mr. D'AMATO. Mr. President, I submit a sense-of-the-Senate 
resolution condemning the violent suppression of a protest in Southern 
Teheran yesterday by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the political 
militia. The protesters were demonstrating against the doubling of 
public transportation, gasoline, basic foodstuffs, and drinking water.
  When the protesters gathered in the morning of April 4, 1995, their 
numbers were few. By the afternoon, the crowd swelled to over 100,000. 
According to Iranfax, a daily brief on Iranian affairs, the crowd 
overwhelmed police who were shooting tear gas at them and seized their 
weapons. As the protests spread to other districts in Teheran, the 
Government called out the Revolutionary Guards and the Bassidj, a 
political militia, to quell the riots.
  Soon, helicopter gunships and troops arrived and began to fire into 
the crowds. According to the latest reports, at least 150 people died 
in the attacks. We have no way of knowing how many were injured. Owing 
to the order of last year that allowed for a shoot-to-kill policy by 
government troops against civilians, this outcome should have been 
expected.
  Nor should this be surprising because it came from this terrorist 
regime. Any government willing to do this to its own people, will have 
no qualms about killing and maiming foreigners. This is why Iran is so 
dangerous.
  This resolution is simple. It requests that the President immediately 
condemn this brutal act and instruct the United States Ambassador to 
the United Nations to bring this matter before the Security Council 
with the intent of pursuing a Security Council condemnation of Iran.
  Mr. President, we cannot allow Iran to slaughter its people. This 
brutal regime has abused the human rights of so many people, inside its 
country and outside. The time for their atrocious abuses to end is now.
  I hope that my colleagues join me in support of this important 
resolution.


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