[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 17, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H1193-H1196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CALLING FOR FREE AND IMPARTIAL ELECTIONS IN CAMBODIA

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H.Res. 361) calling for free and impartial elections in 
Cambodia, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 361

       Whereas Cambodia continues to recover from years of 
     political conflict, civil war, the era of Khmer Rouge 
     genocide, and subsequent foreign invasion;
       Whereas the 1991 Paris Peace Accords contributed 
     significantly to a process of political accommodation, 
     national conciliation, and the establishment of a state based 
     on democratic ideals;
       Whereas the people of Cambodia overwhelmingly demonstrated 
     their support for the democratic process through the 
     participation of over 93 percent of eligible voters in the 
     United Nations-sponsored 1993 elections;
       Whereas the commitment of the Cambodian people to democracy 
     and stability is reflected in the national constitution 
     guaranteeing fundamental human rights;
       Whereas the international donor community has supported the 
     democratic process in Cambodia by contributing over 
     $3,000,000,000 to peacekeeping and national reconstruction 
     efforts;
       Whereas notwithstanding the notable societal and economic 
     reforms made subsequent to the 1993 elections, tensions 
     within the Cambodian Government continued to mount, 
     culminating in the July 5, 1997, military coup by which 
     Second Prime Minister Hun Sen deposed the duly elected First 
     Prime Minister Prince Ranariddh;
       Whereas the Hun Sen government has yet to adequately 
     investigate the killings and human rights abuses which 
     occurred at the time of the July 5, 1997, coup and which were 
     detailed in the August 21, 1997, Hammarberg report;

[[Page H1194]]

       Whereas Second Prime Minister Hun Sen made a commitment to 
     the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR) 
     to extend the mandate of UNCHR;
       Whereas an ongoing atmosphere of intimidation has prevented 
     many of the political exiles who have returned to Cambodia 
     from carrying out their activities in preparation for the 
     election scheduled for July 26 without fear;
       Whereas questions remain concerning the independence and 
     impartiality of the newly created National Election 
     Commission;
       Whereas the failure of the Hun Sen Government to agree to 
     arrangements for the expeditious return of Prince Ranariddh 
     calls into serious question the possibility of a credible 
     election; and
       Whereas the European Union has unwisely decided to provide 
     9,500,000 ECU's (approximately $11,500,000) in aid to the Hun 
     Sen regime to prepare for the July election in the absence of 
     conditions that would allow a credible election: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) calls upon the Cambodian Government--
       (A) to fully implement the Paris Peace Accords;
       (B) to enforce the rule of law and fully protect human 
     rights, including a thorough investigation of the 
     extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses which occurred 
     following the July 5, 1997, coup and punishment of those 
     involved;
       (C) to restore a nonviolent and neutral political 
     atmosphere, including strict adherence to the cease-fire 
     announced on February 27, 1998;
       (D) to allow all exiled opposition leaders, including First 
     Premier Ranariddh, to return to Cambodia and to engage in 
     political activity without fear of political or physical 
     reprisal; and
       (E) to take further measures to create mechanisms to help 
     ensure a credible election, including a truly independent and 
     impartial election commission and provisions to allow 
     domestic and international observers to monitor the entire 
     election process;
       (2) commends the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 
     (ASEAN) for its efforts to restore democratic governance in 
     Cambodia and urges a continuation of these efforts;
       (3) calls upon the European Union to reconsider its 
     decision to provide assistance to the election process until 
     such time as genuinely free and fair elections can be 
     conducted;
       (4) urges the Secretary of State to continue to provide 
     support through appropriate nongovernmental organizations to 
     the courageous Cambodian human rights workers who persevere 
     in their difficulty task, despite the considerable risk at 
     which they put themselves;
       (5) calls upon the Secretary of State to work with members 
     of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and with 
     members of the Donors group in urging the Cambodian 
     Government to create the conditions which would guarantee a 
     free and fair election;
       (6) calls upon the Cambodian Government to work 
     cooperatively with the Phnom Penh office of the United 
     Nations Centre for Human Rights and urges the United States 
     Government and the international community to support the 
     efforts of the Centre to promote human rights in Cambodia by 
     providing the additional financial assistance needed to 
     increase the number of United Nations human rights monitors 
     in Cambodia; and
       (7) states its unwillingness to accept as legitimate or as 
     worthy of United States assistance any Cambodian government 
     that arises from a fraudulent electoral process.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).


                             General Leave

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on House Resolution 361.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Nebraska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. Bereuter asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, as the author of H.Res. 361, this Member 
rises to urge the government of Cambodia to create conditions which 
would ensure a free, fair, and credible election in that troubled 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, this Member would tell his colleagues that 7 months 
after a violent coup ousted the democratically elected First Premier 
Prince Ranariddh from power, Cambodia's prospects for democracy remain 
a shattered dream.
  Those democratic hopes were considerably brighter in 1993 when an 
international effort led by the United Nations oversaw Cambodia's first 
democratic elections. Nearly 90 percent of the eligible electorate took 
part in that contest which chose FUNCINPEC's Prince Ranariddh as Prime 
Minister. Hun Sen, however, refused to accept the people's verdict and 
threatened a coup if not allowed a major role in the new government. 
Hun Sen's stand resulted in an unnatural, and ultimately unworkable, 
coalition government.
  The fragile coalition finally disintegrated last July when Hun Sen 
violently expelled Prince Ranariddh from the government. Many prominent 
opposition leaders fled into exile. Many of these politicians have now 
returned to Cambodia to prepare for the elections scheduled for July 
26. However, because of continued intimidation by forces close to the 
Hun Sen regime, these politicians have not been able to conduct normal 
political activities. The media, as well, has been cowed by the same 
forces of intimidation.
  Within Cambodia, human rights workers persevere in their difficult 
task, often at considerable personal risk. Today, 7 months after the 
fact, Hun Sen's regime has yet to investigate the many instances of 
extrajudicial killing that took place at the time of the coup and 
since, despite repeated calls for accountability from domestic and 
international groups.
  H.Res. 361 cites the coup d'etat of July 1997 and subsequent 
extrajudicial killings, the ongoing atmosphere of political 
intimidation, the questionable impartiality of the election law and the 
newly created National Election Commission, and the failure of the Hun 
Sen regime to facilitate the expeditious return of Prince Ranariddh and 
his full participation in the election process as indications that 
conditions do not yet exist to conduct free, fair, and credible 
elections.
  In response to these problems, H.Res. 361 urges the Cambodian 
government to fully enforce the Paris Peace Accords; to restore a 
nonviolent and neutral political atmosphere; to allow all exiled 
opposition leaders, including First Premier Ranariddh, to return to 
Cambodia and engage in political activity without fear of political or 
physical reprisal; and to take further measures to ensure a credible 
election.
  H.Res. 361 then also calls on all sides in the domestic dispute to 
abide by the cease-fire of February 27, 1998. It commends the work of 
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, and the U.N. Centre 
for Human Rights for their ongoing efforts to restore democratic 
governance to Cambodia. It calls upon the United States Government to 
continue its support for human rights NGOs in Cambodia.
  Finally, H.Res. 361 states our unwillingness to accept as legitimate 
or worthy of U.S. assistance a Cambodian government resulting from a 
fraudulent election.
  Mr. Speaker, the Committee on International Relations unanimously 
adopted H.Res. 361. This Member believes that H.Res. 361 represents a 
balanced assessment of the situation in Cambodia and our prescription 
for advancing democracy and human rights in that beleaguered nation.
  This Member also thanks the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the 
distinguished chairman of the Committee on International Relations, and 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), the distinguished majority 
leader, for moving this initiative in such an expeditious manner.
  This Member also expresses appreciation to the distinguished 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton), the ranking member of the 
Committee on International Relations for his constructive additions to 
this resolution.
  This Member also thanks the distinguished gentleman from California 
(Mr. Berman), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific, for his assistance in speeding this resolution before this 
body.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H.Res. 361.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume. I strongly support this resolution and commend the gentleman 
from Nebraska for bringing it before the House today. The next few 
months may well determine the future of Cambodia for years to come. 
With good fortune

[[Page H1195]]

and concerted effort on the part of the Cambodian people as well as the 
international community, democracy may begin to take root in Cambodia. 
But there is also a real chance that the forces of tyranny and hatred 
may triumph in Cambodia, once again bringing chaos and misery to that 
tragic land.
  The resolution before us today represents a vote for democracy. It 
demonstrates our commitment to political pluralism and a Cambodia whose 
people can live in peace and without fear. It deserves our support. I 
urge my colleagues to join me in voting yes on this important 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the chairman of the Committee on 
International Relations.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. 
Bereuter), the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and 
the Pacific, for introducing this resolution that calls for free and 
fair elections in Cambodia and for keeping this issue in the forefront 
of the work of this House and before the public.
  The people of Cambodia who expressed their overwhelming commitment to 
the democratic process in the U.N.-sponsored elections in 1993 deserve 
the unflagging support of the American people, of this body and our 
government and the entire international community. But as we well know, 
democracy is in dire danger in Cambodia. The illegitimate government of 
Hun Sen continues to oppress and impose its political will on the 
people of Cambodia and threatens the legitimacy of a democratic process 
that many, both inside and outside Cambodia, worked so hard to create. 
The people of Cambodia deserve much better.
  With only 4 short months until the proposed July national elections, 
H. Res. 361 is an extremely timely resolution. It is critical that our 
body continue to bring to the attention of the American people and to 
the world the plight of Cambodia and those struggling for democracy 
there. We must also call upon others such as ASEAN and the European 
Union to do the right thing and to support a genuine democratic process 
in Cambodia by way of a free, fair and fully representative election. 
These elections must be fully representative of the Cambodian people 
and we should accept nothing less.
  Although I believe my views on the subject are well known, I want to 
reiterate my strong support for the democratic forces in Cambodia and 
for the good people of Cambodia who have suffered so much and deserve 
so much better. While all of us are disappointed in the current state 
of affairs, we are committed to bringing democracy, justice, peace and 
freedom once again to the kingdom of Cambodia and to the Khmer people. 
There is much work to do between now and the elections. I think this 
resolution expressing the sense of Congress is certainly a good and 
worthy start. I am proud to be a cosponsor. I look forward with the 
help of our colleagues to passing it today on the floor of the House.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
I thank my colleague from New York for his comments. He is absolutely 
right. The people of Cambodia have been very long suffering. They 
deserve better. We are headed for a noncredible, disastrous election 
unless the world community lets the Hun Sen regime know that we will 
not accept election results, that we expect better, that we expect that 
candidates for office, including Prince Ranariddh will be able to come 
back and to campaign unimpeded by physical intimidation. This House 
will be asked to vote in a recorded vote in a few minutes. I would hope 
that my colleagues will give a unanimous positive vote for this 
resolution. This is a resolution where we may indeed have an impact on 
Cambodia and on the international community.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the 
gentleman from Nebraska for his keen sense of timing.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this should be a very busy 
time for this House. Many of us should come to the floor in support of 
these resolutions. I thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter). 
I know that we spent some time together at the European Union on these 
issues. I think certainly H. Res. 361, if I might, simply adds to the 
importance of allowing for free and impartial elections, the rule of 
law and human rights.
  I really rise, Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Human Rights Caucus, 
and therefore these issues are very, very near and dear to our effort 
and the message that I believe is very important as a part of this 
Nation's foreign policy. For too many we have been chastised for trying 
to be the police of the world. I would rather think of us as the 
conscience of the world. Certainly it is important with so many 
Cambodians here in the United States that we recognize the importance 
of free elections and human rights.
  I believe that human rights allows a nation to stand on its feet. 
Human rights engenders economic opportunity and advancement. Human 
rights provides for opportunities to educate all of your people. Human 
rights gives the free marketplace an opportunity to work. And so H. 
Res. 361 is more than policing the world, it is opening the doors of 
opportunity.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to add my appreciation and 
support of H. Res. 373, which is commending democracy in Botswana. Here 
we have a very small nation of 2 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. 
I had the pleasure of visiting it as part of the presidential mission 
in December. Probably to the surprise of many of my colleagues, this 
nation has been democracy filled for 31 years. In fact it has created a 
multiparty democracy. It is the oldest freestanding democracy in Africa 
with their first President elected, Mr. Koma, in 1966, who remained in 
office until his passing. With the present President Mr. Masire, who 
came in 1994, they have had an unblemished record of democracy. What 
has it engendered for them? A high economy, free housing for many of 
its citizens, peace in the streets. And so the question becomes to my 
colleagues, I hope that they will support both of these resolutions, 
because what does peace and human rights and justice beget us? It 
begets us the opportunities that we have here in this country. Yes, 
America's foreign policy and domestic policy are not perfect, but it 
certainly does not mean that we cannot stand up and demand and require 
our allies and friends to recognize the importance and value of human 
rights.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I would ask certainly for continued support 
and passage of H. Res. 373 and support for H. Res. 361.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment this 
afternoon to join in support of H. Res. 373 and recognize the 
remarkable efforts of the government of Botswana in stabilizing the 
practice of democracy not only in their own country, but throughout all 
of the Southern part of the African continent. Since its independence 
from British rule in 1966, Botswana has been nothing less than a 
powerful reminder to all of us about the untapped potential of having a 
politically liberated Africa. So in this very brief amount of time that 
I have been allotted, I want to share with you Botswana's secret; I 
want to cite the reasons why they have deservedly captured the 
attention of the world.
  First of all, Botswana has captured the world's attention by creating 
a multi-party democracy that without exception is an outstanding 
parallel to our own. From the election of their first President, 
Seretse Khama in 1966, who brilliantly served the people of Botswana 
until his passing in 1980, to the re-election of their current 
President, Ketumile Masire, in 1994, Botswana has established an 
unblemished record of conducting extremely fair political contests. No 
ethnic, racial or religious minorities are excluded from participation 
in the electoral process. No one political party or affiliation 
stronghandedly dominates the political landscape of the country. In 
essence, the rule is simply that all of the citizens of Botswana after 
the age of 21 are given the opportunity to exercise the franchise, 
freely.
  But most importantly, Botswana has captured our attention, because 
the will of its people is sovereign. The Constitution of Botswana 
establishes a system of government similar to that of our British 
allies across the Atlantic. Botswana has a parliamentary legislature 
with

[[Page H1196]]

a traditional separation of powers that is equally divided by checks 
and balances amongst three independent branches of government: the 
executive, the legislative and the judicial. This is a system of 
government that is not much different than the one envisioned by Baron 
de Montesquieu, in his magnus opus, The Spirit of the Laws, over two 
centuries ago. It is a perfect and fair model of the ideal civil 
libertarian state. But despite all of these shining political 
achievements, we all know that a nation's political structure is only 
one part, albeit extremely necessary part, of a nation's success.
  The fact of the matter is that a nation's future is as much premised 
upon its economic stability as it is on its political stability. And 
Botswana, in this arena as well, has done nothing but distinguish 
itself. All of the relevant statistics about recent financial growth in 
Africa indicate that Botswana's economy has been on an upward climb for 
over two decades now. This kind of responsible fiscal management is the 
reason why ground-breaking bills like the African Growth and 
Opportunity Act are being considered and passed in this House. Because 
today is truly a new age, my friends. This is an age where the human 
rights grievances and political instabilities of Africa's past are 
quickly slipping away. This is a time that will be remembered by future 
generations as the period when Africa began to move rapidly into the 
economy of the post-industrialized information age, as both our 
mutually beneficial partner and our friendly competitor. So I stand 
here proudly today to salute the nation of Botswana, to salute our many 
friends on the continent of Africa, and finally, to salute the 
prosperous future that I am sure we will have together.
  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
I want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis) and the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) for their comments regarding 
Cambodia. The gentlewoman from Texas also made very commendable 
comments on Botswana.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge unanimous support and a recorded vote for the 
Cambodia resolution to do what we can to ensure free and fair and 
credible elections in Cambodia.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Barrett of Nebraska). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) that 
the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, House 
Resolution 361, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________