[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 49 (Tuesday, April 28, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H2359-H2361]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENSE OF CONGRESS CONGRATULATING THE FORMER INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT AND 
     VERIFICATION COMMISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 222) expressing the sense of 
Congress, congratulating the former International Support and 
Verification

[[Page H2360]]

Commission of the Organization of American States (OAS-CIAV) for 
successfully aiding in the transition of Nicaragua from a war-ridden 
state into a newly formed democracy and providing continued support 
through the recently created technical cooperation mission (OAS-TCM) 
which is responsible for helping to stabilize Nicaraguan democracy by 
supplementing institution building.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 222

       Whereas the Organization of American States International 
     Support and Verification Commission (OAS-CIAV) was 
     established August 7, 1989, for the purpose of overseeing 
     assisting in the repatriation, disarmament, resettlement, and 
     protection of human rights of the Nicaraguan resistance and 
     their families;
       Whereas the OAS-CIAV, 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 successfully investigated and 
     documented more than 1,800 human rights violations, including 
     numerous murders and presented these cases to Nicaraguan 
     authorities, following and advocating justice in each case;
       Whereas the OAS-CIAV helped demobilize rearmed contras and 
     Sandinistas, as 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 OAS-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 kidnaping and 
     demobilization of rearmed groups, in every municipality of 
     the zones of conflict;
       Whereas the OAS-CIAV successfully provided critically 
     needed infrastructure and humanitarian assistance including 
     aid for Nicaraguan schools, roads, and health clinics; and
       Whereas a new Organization of American States Technical 
     Cooperation Mission (OAS-TCM) has been created to expand upon 
     the mission of the OAS-CIAV by providing institution building 
     resources in municipal government development, social work, 
     and civic education in the twelve most conflictive 
     municipalities in Nicaragua: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) commends and congratulates Santiago Murray, the first 
     OAS-CIAV Director, and Sergio Caramagna, the current director 
     of the OAS-TCM, and all members of the OAS-CIAV and OAS-TCM 
     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 OAS-TCM in Nicaragua.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Gallegly) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Luther) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly).
  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GALLEGLY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 222, 
which congratulates the OAS for its successful CIAV mission in 
Nicaragua and its ongoing technical assistance program in that country.
  In 1989 at the conclusion of the devastating Civil War in Nicaragua, 
that Nation was confronted with the sensitive task of disarming, 
repatriating and resettling members of the former ``contra'' resistance 
movement back into the Nicaraguan society.
  Recognizing the need for help in carrying out this effort, the 
Government of Nicaragua asked the OAS for help. On August 7, 1989, the 
International Support and Verification Commission, better known as 
CIAV, was created by the OAS General Assembly. Over the next 7 years, 
the OAS-CIAV mission, with financial support from the United States, 
helped demobilize over 22,000 members of the contra organization, 
distributed food and other humanitarian assistance to over 100,000 
Nicaraguans, and helped establish some 86 ``peace commissions'' to 
provide human rights monitoring and conflict resolution training.
  When the OAS-CIAV mission closed its doors last August, a new, 
smaller successor organization, the technical cooperation mission, 
known as TCM, was established. The OAS-TCM focused on 12 of Nicaragua's 
most conflictive rural municipalities and will provide civic education, 
human rights training, municipal government development, and conflict 
resolution assistance.
  Mr. Speaker, by every account, the OAS-CIAV mission was a great 
success for both Nicaragua and the OAS itself, and this resolution 
congratulates the OAS-CIAV mission for a job well done.
  This resolution we are considering was passed unanimously by both the 
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and the full Committee on 
International Relations, and is similar to a resolution introduced by 
the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations in the other body 
and passed by the full Senate last year.
  I want to thank the chairman and ranking member of the full committee 
for their support as well as the ranking member of the subcommittee, 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman) and cosponsors, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballenger) and the gentleman from 
New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), and I urge passage of the concurrent 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUTHER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution, and I commend the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Ackerman) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Gallegly) for introducing it.
  Like the OAS verification mission before it, the technical 
cooperation mission defends the human rights of the most vulnerable 
Nicaraguans and supports local communities in their efforts to build 
independent institutions. Independent institutions are the backbone of 
democracy, and we are right to support their development.
  I would note, Mr. Speaker, that the Government of Nicaragua still has 
not appointed a human rights ombudsman, despite its announcement to do 
so. That ombudsman can play a critical role in institutionalizing 
respect for human rights in Nicaragua, and the appointment of such an 
ombudsman would send a clear signal that the government is committed to 
the protection of human rights. Nevertheless, Mr. Speaker, this 
resolution deserves our support, and I urge my colleagues to join me in 
voting yes on this important measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GALLEGLY. 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 rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 
222.
  I want to thank the distinguished Subcommittee on the Western 
Hemisphere chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), and 
the ranking minority member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Ackerman), for introducing H. Con. Res. 222, which will serve as a 
companion resolution to Senate Con. Res. 40 already passed by the 
Senate.
  This resolution provides long overdue recognition to the OAS-CIAV 
mission which successfully demobilized 22,500 members of the Nicaraguan 
resistance after the democratic elections of 1990 ended the 10-year 
Marxist-Leninist-Sandinista regime. Led by Santiago Murray and Sergio 
Caramagna, the CIAV mission helped Nicaraguan peasants who had taken up 
arms against the Sandinistas' one-party dictatorship to reintegrate 
themselves into Nicaraguan civil society.
  The CIAV mission always maintained the highest standards of 
professionalism in the conduct of investigations of human rights abuses 
against some of Nicaragua's poorest and least represented people. The 
CIAV mission members earned the respect of all of the resistance 
fighters, and when former resistance members took up arms to press 
demands with the Nicaraguan Government, the CIAV officials acted with 
great skill and bravery on numerous occasions to negotiate peaceful 
resolutions to highly explosive situations.
  Mr. Speaker, it is notable that the CIAV mission, with limited 
resources, worked with church groups to create peace and justice 
commissions to carry on the conflict resolution and civil society 
building work which the CIAV

[[Page H2361]]

began. The follow-on OAS technical mission continues to nurture these 
important civil society groups in the most isolated and violent parts 
of Nicaragua.
  Additionally, I want to take the opportunity to urge the Government 
of Nicaragua to move to name a professional, credible individual to 
serve as that country's human rights ombudsman. This is important, 
since the downsized successor to the OAS-CIAV has ceased providing 
independent human rights reporting.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 222 commends 
the Organization of American States for its role in successfully aiding 
the transition of Nicaragua from Civil War to democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, the OAS role in Nicaragua has proven to be invaluable. 
The international support and verification commission has resettled 
former combatants; distributed food and humanitarian assistance; and 
investigated and documented human rights abuses. In addition, the OAS-
CIAV brokered negotiations between the Government of Nicaragua and the 
rearmed groups; provided critically needed infrastructure; and 
established local peace commissions to provide an avenue for 
alternative dispute resolution.
  Clearly, Santiago Murray and Sergio Caramagna are to be commended for 
their work as are all the members of the OAS-CIAV team and the follow-
on OAS technical cooperation mission. These dedicated professionals 
have labored long and hard to ease the journey as Nicaragua 
consolidates its democracy.
  I want to thank and commend the chairman for introducing the 
resolution and I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 222.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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