[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 49 (Tuesday, April 28, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H2354-H2356]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONCERNING AFGHANISTAN
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 218) concerning the urgent need
to establish a ceasefire in Afghanistan and begin the transition toward
a broad-based multiethnic government that observes international norms
of behavior, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 218
Whereas peace and stability has not returned to Afghanistan
despite the February 1989 Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan;
Whereas the Department of State's Country Reports on Human
Rights for 1997 states: ``The overall human rights situation
[in Afghanistan] is poor . . . political killings, torture,
rape, arbitrary detention, looting, abductions and
kidnappings for ransom were committed by armed units, local
commanders, and rogue individuals'';
Whereas the continuing civil conflict in Afghanistan has
had a grievous impact upon the Afghan people, where within
its borders occurs the highest rate of infant, child, and
maternal mortality in the region;
Whereas neighboring countries have provided support in the
form of financial assistance and arms to the different groups
warring in Afghanistan, thereby extending the length and
expanding the destruction of this internal conflict;
Whereas another byproduct of this conflict is the harboring
of Islamic militants and terrorist leaders in Afghanistan;
Whereas due to the tyranny and destruction caused by
Taliban rule, Afghanistan is now one of the world's leading
producers of opium, and over the past year alone, the
production of opiates in Afghanistan has increased and
resulted in a growth in the drug trade not only in the
Central and South Asian regions but in Russia and the West as
well;
Whereas continuing instability serves as an obstacle to
international investment and the establishment of
developmental projects inside Afghanistan, so necessary to
Afghanistan's rejuvenation from years of conflict, and
central to promoting political cooperation among Afghan
factions;
Whereas the continuing conflict in Afghanistan serves as an
impediment to economic prosperity and political development
throughout all of South Asia and the newly independent
Central Asian nations as well; and
Whereas despite repeated efforts by the United Nations to
broker an end to continuing warfare among the country's
warring factions, the absence of peace has prevented
Afghanistan from addressing the numerous problems facing its
citizenry: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) acknowledges that, through determination, tenacity, and
courage, the Afghan people successfully waged a war against
Soviet expansionism and greatly assisted in bringing an end
to the cold war;
(2) calls upon all warring factions and national powers to
participate in intra-Afghan dialogue (the ``Frankfurt
Process'') and in the peace process and to actively cooperate
in the acceleration of endeavors for peace;
(3)(A) deplores continuing human rights violations
occurring within Afghanistan, especially against women and
female children, who have suffered condoned discrimination
and harassment, and the reported widespread execution of
prisoners of war and civilians evidenced by the discovery of
mass graves which contained an estimated 2,000 corpses; and
(B) supports the intention of the United Nations and the
International Committee of the Red Cross to continue their
investigation into these reported killings;
(4)(A) welcomes the appointment of Ambassador Lakhbar
Brahimi as special envoy of the United Nations Secretary
General for Afghanistan and supports his efforts toward
attaining a peaceful negotiated settlement with the
assistance of the six nations bordering Afghanistan as well
as representatives from the United States and Russia; and
(B) encourages a role for Afghan leaders of all factions
and ethnic groups in the United Nations negotiation efforts,
based on the fact that peace and national reconciliation
cannot be imposed on the Afghan people by their neighbors;
(5) urges the nations of the region to cooperate in the
peace process and to end immediately the supply of arms,
ammunition, military equipment, training or any other
military support to all parties to the conflict;
(6) urges appropriate parties in the United Nations,
Afghanistan, and its neighbors to work toward the eradication
of the production of opium, especially in southern
Afghanistan, and to link such efforts wherever possible to
realistic income alternatives;
(7) calls upon all parties within Afghanistan to prevent
the reoccurrence of actions which impede the ability of
humanitarian and international organizations to move food
shipments and other forms of humanitarian assistance into
Afghanistan;
(8) acknowledges that due to the death and destruction
wrought by the February 4, 1998, earthquake in northeastern
Afghanistan, where approximately 5,000 people have died and
an estimated 30,000 have been left homeless, there is a
continuing need for international emergency aid of food,
clothing, and shelter;
(9) recognizes the continuing requirement to address the
needs of more than 2,500,000 Afghan refugees in neighboring
countries, three-quarters of whom are women and children;
(10) acknowledges the necessity of international efforts to
clear the estimated 10,000,000 land mines buried in the
Afghan countryside; and
(11) calls for the expulsion of all known terrorist leaders
from Afghanistan and the closing down of all terrorist
training camps operating in the country.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Luther)
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 this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Barrett of Nebraska). Is there objection
to the request of the gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
{time} 1445
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, H. Con. Res. 218, which this Member
introduced on February 1, 1998, calls for the urgent need to establish
a cease-fire in Afghanistan and begin the transition towards a broad-
based multi-ethnic government that observes international norms of
behavior.
Today Afghanistan has no internationally recognized government. It is
a country torn apart by civil war carried out by two warring factions
known as the Taliban and the Northern Alliance. No parties to the
conflict are heroic. All must share the blame for the destruction and
division.
One of the by-products of the destruction brought about by this
extended warfare is that Afghanistan has become one of the world's
leading producers of opium. Over the past year alone, the production of
opiates in Afghanistan has increased, and results in a growth in the
drug trade throughout Central and South Asia, Russia, Europe and the
United States.
Other problems currently facing Afghanistan include serious and
repeated human rights violations occurring throughout the country,
especially the treatment of women. The Department of State's Country
Reports on Human Rights for 1997 states,
The overall human rights situation in Afghanistan is poor.
Political killings, torture, rape, arbitrary detention,
looting, abductions and kidnappings for ransom were committed
by armed units, local commanders and rogue individuals.
At the end of this decade-long conflict it would appear that
Afghanistan is beginning the process of resolving these problems, as
well as a number of others, including the removal of millions of land
mines scattered throughout the Afghan countryside; the repatriation of
over 2 million Afghan refugees currently residing in Pakistan and Iran;
as well as the cessation of safe haven for terrorist leaders and
activities in this war-torn Nation.
[[Page H2355]]
The United States officially supports no party or faction in this
conflict and backs the United Nations negotiation efforts to establish
a coalition government where all factions are fairly represented.
Recently, on April 17, the United States Ambassador to the United
Nations, the Honorable Bill Richardson, brokered an agreement from the
two opposing factions to establish a cease-fire and participate in
structured peace talks.
If the factions follow through with their commitments, it will mark
the first talks since the Islamic militia took control of the capital
1\1/2\ years ago. Fighting broke out which appeared to jeopardize the
negotiations. However, recognizing the renewed U.S. attention to
Afghanistan, the Taliban and the Northern Alliance have begun these
important talks.
This Member commends Ambassador Richardson and his staff, as well as
the Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, for their efforts in
successfully bringing the two warring factions to the negotiating
table. In their opening statements, representatives of the two factions
declared their willingness to work towards a peaceful resolution of the
Afghan conflict. This Member sincerely hopes that this round of
negotiations will bring enduring peace to the people of Afghanistan.
In the past, similar efforts have ended in failure as agreements
reached in 1992 and 1993 quickly collapsed into more fighting. But this
initiative comes at a time when internal and outside parties to the
conflict seem at least more ready to work towards achieving stability
in Afghanistan before all hope of stability and economic development is
lost. The return of stability would in turn encourage international
investment projects to the region, beneficial to South Asia and the
newly independent Central Asian nations as well.
Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 218 was considered by the Subcommittee on
Asia and the Pacific on March 5, 1998 and was favorably reported to the
full committee. On April 1 the Committee on International Relations
unanimously approved this important resolution.
In conclusion, this Member again expresses appreciation to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) chairman of the Committee on
International Relations, and the distinguished gentleman from
California (Mr. Berman) the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Asia
and the Pacific, for their support and cosponsorship of H. Con. Res.
218. This Member would also thank the distinguished gentleman from
California (Mr. Rohrabacher) for his advice and support on this
resolution. The gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) has visited
Afghanistan on numerous occasions, and has taken an active interest in
Afghanistan's history and in resolving the bitter dispute which has
consumed this country for the past 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, at this critical point of the ongoing peace
negotiations, this Member urges this body to send a strong message that
the United States Government and the Congress, which in the past
assisted Afghanistan in the war against communist aggression, are
supportive of the desire for peace by so many, indeed almost all of the
Afghan people. Accordingly, this Member urges adoption of H. Con. Res.
218.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LUTHER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I rise in support of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution. I again commend the
gentleman from Nebraska for his leadership in drafting the resolution
and bringing it before the House today. The scene of bitter fighting
for more than 18 years, Afghanistan today is virtually forgotten by the
international community. There are few nations in the world whose
prospects look bleaker than Afghanistan. But I am pleased to say that
over the past weekend, the various Afghan factions held the first round
of what we all hope will be talks leading to the reestablishment of a
just peace in Afghanistan.
This resolution seeks to refocus world attention upon Afghanistan at
this important time. It calls for an end to the fighting in
Afghanistan, for respect for human rights, and for the eradication of
the heroin trade and the export of terrorism. This resolution deserves
our support. I urge our colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on this
important measure.
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 California (Mr. Royce) who has been very responsive to
the concerns of many people in his district concerned with the
continued conflict in Afghanistan. For his active interest in the
issue, I commend him.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from
Nebraska, chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, for
offering this very important resolution on the tragedy that is going on
in Afghanistan.
What this resolution does is bring attention to a country which has
been largely forgotten. America was intensely focused on Afghanistan
after the Soviet invasion and throughout the years of its occupation.
The Red Army was driven out in the face of a courageous resistance by
the Afghan people, with the aid of America. Looking back, that
unfortunately for Afghanistan was the easy part. It has been much
harder winning the fight for peace and stability in Afghanistan since
then, but the United States has an interest in trying. We must try.
The Afghan people are suffering. They have one of the highest infant
mortality rates in the world. Millions of Afghans live as refugees,
some in neighboring countries. Tragically, some of this suffering is
almost a deliberate policy of the ruling Taliban in much of
Afghanistan. This regime bans girls and women from attending schools,
and it is blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid to thousands of
suffering people in Afghanistan. The U.S. has an interest in seeing
this stopped.
More direct interests are at stake, too. Afghanistan is now one of
the world's leading producers of opium. This reaches America's shores.
Afghanistan harbors terrorists who have the potential to attack our
Nation. Terrorists with Afghan roots have wreaked havoc throughout the
world. This resolution addresses all these American interests.
For too long the U.S. has been indifferent to the fate of
Afghanistan. That has been changing a bit of late. My conversations
with the former king of Afghanistan, King Zahir Shah, have led me to
believe there is reason for hope. Events are moving rapidly. There are
plans for peace talks among the factions.
This resolution says that what happens in Afghanistan matters to the
U.S. and that we have an interest in seeing the peaceful resolution of
this long-running and depressing conflict. I urge its adoption by my
colleagues.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from
California (Mr. Royce) for his excellent statement.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the distinguished Chairman
of the Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, the gentleman from Nebraska, Mr.
Bereuter and its Ranking Minority Member, the gentleman from
California, Mr. Berman, for initially crafting this important piece of
legislation.
H. Con. Res. 218 calls attention to the urgent needs of the Afghan
people who have been suffering for years from the aftermath of the cold
war. The current civil conflict has led to a breakdown in civil
society. Large areas of Afghanistan are now training grounds for
terrorism and the world's largest production grounds for opium.
Millions of land mines are killing scores of people daily and women are
treated as chattel.
The war has created a huge humanitarian crises in the north where
more than 2,000,000 refugees are in need of humanitarian assistance. We
commend our colleague, the gentleman from California, Congressman
Rohrabacher for filling in for the State Department and AID by raising
the funds to ship plane loads of medical equipment to the refugees. I
hope that the administration takes this resolution as a signal that it
should be doing more to resolve the crises there and that it especially
supports the inter-Afghan dialogue process which would serve as a long
term solution to the problems.
Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.
Mr. LUTHER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous support for this
resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
[[Page H2356]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution, House Concurrent Resolution
218, as amended.
The question was taken.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
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