[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 106 (Thursday, July 24, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1516-E1517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCING A HOUSE RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE CRISIS IN CAMBODIA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 1997

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing today House Resolution 185 
which addresses the current crisis in Cambodia and calls for definitive 
action to put that country back on the road to peace, democracy, and 
stability.
  As you know, the Cambodian people suffered terribly through two 
decades of political conflicts, civil war, foreign invasion, protracted 
violence, and the horrific genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge. The 
nightmare finally ended with the 1991 Paris peace accords which, 
through a massive and historic international effort, brought peace to 
Cambodia. The peace accords set the stage for a process of political 
accommodation, national reconciliation, and the founding of a nation 
based on democratic principles.
  The successful national elections held in Cambodia in 1993 under U.N. 
supervision--in which over 90 percent of the eligible voters 
participated--demonstrated the firm commitment of the Cambodian people 
to democracy. Regrettably, earlier this month, a military coup by 
Second Prime Minister Hun Sen forcefully wrested democracy from the 
Cambodian people. This must not stand.
  Since the signing of the peace accords and the completion of the 1993 
elections, Cambodia has made considerable progress toward establishing 
a bright future based on economic freedom and democratic principles. 
This included the creation of a national constitution that guarantees 
fundamental human rights and liberties. With significant investment 
from the international donor community, including many millions of 
dollars in assistance from the United States, Cambodia appeared to be 
heading in the right direction toward democracy, peace, and freedom. 
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN] recognized this 
progress and recently extended membership privileges to Cambodia.
  On July 5, 1997, Cambodia's bright future was shattered when Second 
Prime Minister Hun Sen deposed First Prime Minister Ranariddh in a 
violent military coup. Reportedly, over 40 opposition politicians have 
died or have been executed in the custody of Hun Sen's forces, some 
after having been tortured. Hundreds of others have been detained 
without cause due to their political affiliations and thousands have 
fled the country.
  It is regrettable that we find ourselves on familiar ground once 
again--trying to restore peace and stability in Cambodia. The military 
coup d'etat orchestrated by Hun Sen marks an unfortunate return to the 
past--a past of fear and violence. The reports of executions, arrests, 
and other human rights abuses are cause for tremendous concern. 
Cambodia's once bright future is now clouded by the shadow of tyranny 
that darkens the countryside.
  This forcible change to the duly-elected Government in Cambodia is 
illegal and unacceptable. This brutality violates not only Cambodia's 
own constitution but also all internationally respected norms of 
behavior. More tragically, Hun Sen's actions violate the mandate of the 
Cambodian people, as expressed in the 1993 elections.
  We must not look the other way while violence and tyranny rule in 
Cambodia. The United States Government and the international community 
have made a significant investment in bringing peace to Cambodia and 
providing the Cambodian people with the opportunity to determine their 
own future through free and fair elections. We must remain committed to 
this ideal.
  The United States must condemn--in the strongest terms possible--the 
undemocratic and forcible change in government and the use of violence 
to resolve political matters by all sides in Cambodia. So far, the 
administration has taken a cautious approach in addressing this crisis, 
failing to acknowledge that Hun Sen's actions constitute a military 
coup.
  We must not renege on our role as a guarantor of the Paris peace 
accords and wait on the sidelines while the situation in Cambodia sorts 
itself out. The United States Government should demonstrate leadership 
to reverse the coup and restore democracy in Cambodia. We should work 
with the U.N. Security Council and the ASEAN member states to consider 
all options to return democracy, stability, and the rule of law to 
Cambodia.
  The administration's decision to suspend assistance for 1 month is 
only a first step. This resolution calls for a continued suspension of 
direct assistance to the Cambodian regime until the violence ends and a 
democratically elected government is reconstituted. The legislation 
also encourages the international donor community to suspend aid as 
part of a multilateral effort to encourage respect for democratic 
processes and principles.
  The United States Government should use its influence to ensure that 
Cambodian authorities hold free and fair national elections as 
scheduled in 1998. We also must assist Cambodia in depoliticizing its 
military and making the judicial system independent.
  In addition, this resolution calls upon the Cambodian authorities to 
stop all political violence; restore all civil and political freedoms 
to the Cambodian people; investigate all extralegal actions that have 
taken place since fighting was renewed in July 1997; and, bring to 
justice those who are responsible for the human rights abuses that have 
occurred.
  The Cambodian people have suffered enough. Let's work to get Cambodia 
back on the road to democracy. Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to 
support this resolution (H.R. 185).

                              H. Res. 185

       Whereas during the 1970s and 1980s Cambodia was wracked by 
     political conflict, civil war, foreign invasion, protracted 
     violence, and a genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge from 
     1975 to 1979;
       Whereas the Paris Agreement on a Comprehensive Political 
     Settlement of the Cambodia Conflict led to the end of 2 
     decades of civil war and genocide in Cambodia, demonstrated 
     the commitment of the Cambodian people to democracy and 
     stability, and established a national constitution 
     guaranteeing fundamental human rights;
       Whereas the 1991 Paris Peace Accords set the stage for a 
     process of political accommodation, national reconciliation, 
     and the founding of a state based on democratic principles;
       Whereas the international donor community contributed more 
     than $3,000,000,000 in an effort to secure peace, democracy, 
     and stability in Cambodia following the Paris Peace Accords 
     and currently provides over 40 percent of the budget of the 
     Cambodian Government;
       Whereas the Cambodian people clearly demonstrated their 
     support for democracy when over 93 percent of eligible 
     Cambodian voters participated in United Nations sponsored 
     elections in 1993;
       Whereas since the 1993 elections, Cambodia has made 
     significant progress, as evidenced by the decision last month 
     of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to extend 
     membership to Cambodia;
       Whereas notwithstanding the notable societal and economic 
     progress since the elections of 1993, concern has 
     increasingly been raised regarding the fragile state of 
     democracy in Cambodia, in particular the quality of the 
     judicial system, which has been described in a United Nations 
     report as thoroughly corrupt; unsolved attacks in 1995 on 
     officials of the Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party; and the 
     unsolved murders of journalists and political activists;
       Whereas tensions within the Cambodian Government has 
     erupted into violence in recent months;
       Whereas on March 30, 1997, 19 Cambodians were killed and 
     more than 100 were wounded in a grenade attack on a peaceful 
     political demonstration in Phnom Penh;
       Whereas in June 1997 fighting erupted in Phnom Penh between 
     military and paramilitary forces loyal to First Prime 
     Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Second Prime Minister 
     Hun Sen;
       Whereas on July 5, 1997, Second Prime Minister Hun Sen 
     deposed the First Prime Minister in a violent military coup 
     d'etat;
       Whereas at least several dozen opposition politicians have 
     died in the custody of Hun Sen's forces, some after being 
     tortured, and hundreds of others have been detained due to 
     their political affiliation;

[[Page E1517]]

       Whereas democracy and stability in Cambodia are threatened 
     by the continued use of violence to resolve political 
     differences;
       Whereas the administration has suspended assistance to 
     Cambodia for 1 month in response to the deteriorating 
     situation in Cambodia; and
       Whereas the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 
     has decided to delay indefinitely Cambodian membership: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of 
     Representatives that--
       (1) the forcible assault upon the democratically elected 
     Government of Cambodia is illegal and unacceptable;
       (2) the recent events in Cambodia constitute a military 
     coup against the duly elected democratic Government of 
     Cambodia;
       (3) the authorities in Cambodia should take immediate steps 
     to halt all extralegal violence and to restore fully civil, 
     political, and personal liberties to the Cambodian people, 
     including freedom of the press, speech, and assembly, as 
     well as the right to a democratically elected government;
       (4) the United States should release the report by the 
     Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning the March 30, 
     1997, grenade attack in Phnom Penh;
       (5) the United States should press the authorities in 
     Cambodia to investigate fully and impartially all abuses and 
     extralegal actions that have occurred in Cambodia since July 
     4, 1997, and to bring to justice all those responsible for 
     such abuses and extra-legal actions;
       (6) the administration should immediately invoke section 
     508 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related 
     Programs Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 104-208), as it 
     is required to do;
       (7) the United States should urgently request an emergency 
     meeting of the United Nations Security Council to consider 
     all options to restore peace in Cambodia;
       (8) the United States should encourage the Secretary 
     General of the United Nations to expand the monitoring 
     operations of the United Nations Special Representative on 
     Human Rights in Cambodia;
       (9) the United States and the Association of Southeast 
     Asian Nations (ASEAN) should coordinate efforts to restore 
     democracy, stability, and the rule of law in Cambodia;
       (10) direct United States assistance to the Government of 
     Cambodia should continue to be suspended until violence ends, 
     a democratically elected government is reconstituted, 
     necessary steps have been taken to ensure that the election 
     scheduled for 1998 takes place in a free and fair manner, the 
     military is depoliticized, and the judiciary is made 
     independent; and
       (11) the United States should call for an emergency meeting 
     of the Donors' Consultative Group for Cambodia to encourage 
     the suspension of assistance as part of a multilateral effort 
     to encourage respect for democratic processes, 
     constitutionalism, and the rule of law.

     

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