[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 41 (Wednesday, April 9, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S2933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SENATE RESOLUTION 69--RELATIVE TO CAMBODIA

  Mr. McCain (for himself, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Helms, Mr. Kerrey, Mr. Robb, 
Mr. Roth, and Mr. Thomas) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                               S. Res. 69

       Whereas Cambodia continues to recover from more than three 
     decades of recent warfare, including the genocide committed 
     by the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979;
       Whereas Cambodia was the beneficiary of a massive 
     international effort to ensure peace, democracy, and 
     prosperity after the October 1991 Paris Agreements on a 
     Comprehensive Political Settlement of the Cambodia Conflict;
       Whereas more than 93 percent of the Cambodians eligible to 
     vote in the 1993 elections in Cambodia did so, thereby 
     demonstrating the commitment of the Cambodian people to 
     democracy;
       Whereas since those elections, Cambodia has made 
     significant economic progress which has contributed to 
     economic stability in Cambodia;
       Whereas since those elections, the Cambodia Armed Forces 
     have significantly diminished the threat posed by the Khmer 
     Rouge to safety and stability in Cambodia;
       Whereas other circumstances in Cambodia, including the 
     recent unsolved murders of journalists and political party 
     activists, the recent unsolved attack on party officials of 
     the Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party in 1995, and the 
     quality of the judicial system--described in a 1996 United 
     Nations report as ``thoroughly corrupt''--raise international 
     concern for the state of democracy in Cambodia;
       Whereas Sam Rainsy, the leader of the Khmer Nation Party, 
     was the target of a terrorist grenade attack on March 30, 
     1997, during a demonstration outside the Cambodia National 
     Assembly;
       Whereas the attack killed 19 Cambodians and wounded more 
     than 100 men, women, and children; and
       Whereas among those injured was Ron Abney, a United States 
     citizen and employee of the International Republican 
     Institute who was assisting in the advancement of democracy 
     in Cambodia and observing the demonstration: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) extends its sincerest sympathies to the families of the 
     persons killed, and the persons wounded, in the March 30, 
     1997, terrorist grenade attack outside the Cambodia National 
     Assembly;
       (2) condemns the attack as an act of terrorism detrimental 
     to peace and the development of democracy in Cambodia;
       (3) calls upon the United States Government to offer to the 
     Cambodia Government all appropriate assistance in identifying 
     and prosecuting those responsible for the attack; and
       (4) calls upon the Cambodia Government to accept such 
     assistance and to expeditiously identify and prosecute those 
     responsible for the attack.

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, on March 30, 1997, there was a political 
rally outside the Cambodian National Assembly in the capital city of 
Phnom Penh. One of the participants in this rally was Sam Raimsy, a 
prominent opposition figure and leader of the Khmer Nation Party.
  In the course of the demonstration, someone lobbed grenades into the 
crowd. Nineteen people were killed, including one of Sam Raimsy's 
bodyguards. More than a 100 others were injured, one of which was an 
American citizen, Mr. Ron Abney. Ron works for the International 
Republican Institute, of which I am proud to be chairman. For years, 
Ron has worked with all political parties to promote free and 
democratic institutions in Cambodia. We all hope for his prompt and 
complete recovery from his injuries.
  Mr. President, this was a particularly cowardly and brutal act of 
political terrorism. Among the killed and injured were many women and 
children. In addition, the real target of this attack was Cambodia's 
efforts to build a peaceful and democratic future on the ruins of the 
devastation wrought by decades of war and tyranny.
  Immediately after the attack, I wrote to Cambodia's two Co-Prime 
Ministers, Norodom Ranariddh and Hun Sen, expressing my outrage and 
demanding that the perpetrators of this attack be brought to justice. I 
have received a response from Prince Ranariddh, in which he calls the 
March 30 atrocity a ``most heinous and savage criminal act committed on 
innocent and peace-loving people.'' He also said that he had ordered 
``immediate measures to be taken to arrest, try and sentence the 
criminal(s) and all those involved.''
  I believe, however, that it is also important for the Senate to make 
clear its outrage at this attack. The resolution that I have just 
introduced extends the Senate's sympathy to the victims of the grenade 
attack, condemns the bombing itself as an act of terrorism, and calls 
upon the governments of Cambodia and the United States to cooperate in 
identifying and prosecuting those individuals responsible for the 
attack.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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