[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 12, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1422-E1423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                  WELCOME TO PRESIDENT SOGLO OF BENIN

                                 ______


                         HON. EARL F. HILLIARD

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 12, 1995
  Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my welcome to the 
President of Benin, Mr. Nicephore Soglo, on the occasion of his state 
visit to the United States this week.
  Many of us are encouraged with the initiatives which the Republic of 
Benin has enacted with respect to human rights and democracy. Although 
Benin is a small West African nation, it now has a large reputation 
because of the sterling example it is setting for many other nations 
throughout the continent of Africa.
  Under President Soglo, Benin has quickly overcome its difficult past 
by establishing a democratic government, based on a constitution which 
is very similar to the great Constitution of the United States of 
America. Benin established a constitutional court in 1993, and its 
rulings have already demonstrated the flexibility of the constitution 
and the independence of the court. Benin has also established a social 
and economic council to advise the government of President Soglo that 
the reforms which were promised are indeed implemented. Benin's 
National Assembly once little more than a rubber stamp, now debates and 
decides policy disputes which affect the nation. Also, the press has 
been given total freedom of expression with the establishment of 12 
privately owned newspapers.
  It is also encouraging to see how Benin's human rights record has 
drastically improved since the old Marxist Regime was replaced by the 
new democratic government of President Soglo. President Soglo has 
dismantled the repressive security apparatus built by the former 
dictatorship with the approval of the international human rights 
community. Academic freedom is also respected and the right to organize 
and join trade unions has again been reinstituted under President 
Soglo.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States Government must support all efforts of 
African nations to 

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democratize and respect the human rights of their citizens. The 
Government of Benin, under the leadership of President Saglo, has 
instituted these reforms. These efforts have marked a new era of 
freedom and equality.


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