[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 102 (Thursday, July 17, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7732-S7733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 40--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS 
              REGARDING THE OAS-CIAV MISSION IN NICARAGUA

  Mr. HELMS submitted the following original concurrent resolution; 
which was reported from the Committee on Foreign Relations and placed 
on the calendar.

                            S. Con. Res. 40

       Whereas the International Support and Verification 
     Commission of the Organization of American States (in this 
     resolution referred to as the ``OAS-CIAV'') was established 
     in the August 7, 1989, Tela Accords by the presidents of the 
     Central American countries and by the Secretary Generals of 
     the United Nations and the Organization of American States 
     for the purpose of ending the Nicaraguan war and 
     reintegrating members of the Nicaraguan Resistance into civil 
     society;
       Whereas the OAS-CIAV, originally comprised of 53 unarmed 
     Latin Americans, successfully demobilized 22,500 members of 
     the Nicaraguan Resistance and distributed food and 
     humanitarian assistance to more than 119,000 repatriated 
     Nicaraguans prior to July 1991;
       Whereas the OAS-CIAV provided seeds, starter plants, and 
     fertilizer to more than 17,000 families of demobilized 
     combatants;
       Whereas the OAS-CIAV assisted former Nicaraguan Resistance 
     members in the construction of nearly 3,000 homes for 
     impoverished families, 45 schools, 50 health clinics, and 25 
     community multi-purpose centers, as well as the development 
     of microenterprises;
       Whereas the OAS-CIAV assisted rural communities with the 
     reparation of roads, development of potable water sources, 
     veterinary and preventative medical training, raising basic 
     crops, cattle ranching, and reforestation;
       Whereas the OAS-CIAV, together with the Pan-American Health 
     Organization (PAHO), trained local paramedics to staff 22 
     health posts in the Atlantic and pacific regions of Nicaragua 
     and provided medical supplies to treat mothers, young 
     children, and cholera patients, among others, in a five-month 
     program that benefited nearly 50,000 Nicaraguans;
       Whereas the OAS-CIAV, with 15 members under a new mandate 
     effective June 9, 1993, has investigated and documented more 
     than 1,800 human rights violations, including 653 murders and 
     has presented these cases to Nicaraguan authorities, 
     following and advocating justice in each case;
       Whereas, the OAS-CIAV has demobilized 20,745 rearmed 
     contras and Sandinistas, as

[[Page S7733]]

     well as apolitical criminal groups, and recently brokered and 
     mediated the successful May 1997 negotiations between the 
     Government of Nicaragua and the largest rearmed group;
       Whereas the OSA-CIAV has resolved hostage crises 
     successfully, including the 1993 abductions of UNO party 
     Congressmen, the Vice President and the French military 
     attache, and the 1996 kidnappings of an Agency for 
     International Development contractor and 28 Supreme Electoral 
     Council employees;
       Whereas the OSA-CIAV created 86 peace commissions and has 
     provided assistance and extensive training in human rights 
     and alternative dispute resolution for their members, who are 
     currently mediating conflicts, including kidnappings and 
     demobilization of rearmed groups, in every municipality of 
     the zones of conflict;
       Whereas the OSA-CIAV assistance and training by the OSA-
     CIAV of rural Nicaraguans has led to a decrease in violence 
     in the zones of conflict since 1994, in some areas as much as 
     85 percent;
       Whereas the OSA-CIAV has assisted children wounded by land 
     mines;
       Whereas the OSA-CIAV has provided assistance to disabled 
     war veterans and widows of combatants;
       Whereas the OSA-CIAV provided and distributed 44,010 birth 
     certificates to rural Nicaraguans in early 1996, allowing 
     them to participate in the 1996 presidential and 
     parliamentary elections; and
       Whereas the OSA-CIAV provided transportation to and 
     communication with remote areas or areas of conflict, 
     assuring a secure climate for voter registration and the 
     elections: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the Senate--
       (1) commends and congratulates Santiago Murray and Sergio 
     Caramagna, the first and current directors, respectively, of 
     the OSA-CIAV and all members of the OSA-CIAV team for their 
     tireless defense of human rights, promotion of peaceful 
     conflict resolution, and, contribution to the development of 
     freedom and democracy in Nicaragua; and
       (2) expresses its support for the continuation of the role 
     of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Nicaragua 
     described in the resolution passed by the OAS General 
     Assembly in Lima, Peru, on June 4, 1997.
       Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy 
     of this concurrent resolution to the President with the 
     request that he further transmit such resolution to the 
     Secretary General of the Organization of American States.

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